Story Walk for Physical Literacy

Our Welcome to Kindergarten event was last week and I set up

a StoryWalk for our physical literacy activity.

Rosie's Walk was set up as an obstacle course. 

The children loved it and it gave us an opportunity to observe

that children need a physical outlet.

That some children are successful learning that way.

Surprise Popping

I found a big roll of bubble wrap in a box

so I cut it into strips and taped it together to put on our carpet area.

Before the families arrived I covered it with a sheet and placed

a tub of toys on top.

This is little boy walked on the sheet and it went, "pop, pop".

He stopped then took a few more steps.

He peeked underneath the sheet

then put it down and continued walking on it.

Some children were surprised and seemed to be nervous when they stepped

on it and heard the popping.

But as they watched other children enjoy the popping

they soon joined in.

The popping noise was unbelievable when all these children were jumping.

 Notice the boy on the left hand side?

He was more interested in how the popping sounds were made.

First he tried to use his hand to pop a bubble,

then next he stretched his leg out to try.

Finally he cautiously stood and stepped on the sheet and

was successful in making it pop.

As the morning progressed the children removed the sheet and

investigated the bubbles by hand.

Most of them were already popped.

A bit more dancing and hopping made sure they got them all.

A New Toy

Our Parent Advisory Council had grant money that the teachers could use to purchase

items for the gym.

I couldn't think of anything else we needed for the gym but I had seen

this toy on the Kodo site.

It's called a Half Round and it's four feet long.

I placed it on the carpet a couple of weeks ago and watched how the children 

and their parents interacted with it.

The infant and toddlers played in and on it.

Practicing crawling across it.

Being encouraged to stand beside it.

And climbing over it.

The older children figured out they could crawl through it.

Although I was surprised they could but

they made it through in doing the fire fighter crawl.

They also figured out how to rock it like a boat.

We added an alligator so they could scream when we sang 

Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

As the days went by they became more comfortable with it.

 Using their bodies to stand on it,

 slide across it,

and just be comfortable.