Toddler

Action Games

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JUMP BALL GAMES

VISUAL TRAINING PROGRAM Adapted from Milton Chasin, O.D.

Purpose: To develop visual spatial predictiveness for hand on foot action patterns.

Apparatus: Balls of various sizes.

JUMP BALL
Method:

Roll ball toward child. He is to jump over the ball. The jump action should be symmetrical. Feet should lift and land on the floor together.
Arms should also lift symmetrically in support of the jumping action.
Roll the ball from different directions and at different speeds.
Start with a small ball--tennis ball--and work toward a larger size--basketball.
Next, instruct child to jump ¼ or ½ turn clockwise or counterclockwise as he jumps over the ball.

HAND JUMP BALL
Method:

Two players stand 3 or 4 feet apart on the same side of a table. Both players place their hands on the table, palms down and about twelve inches apart. All four hands should be in line.
One player rolls a ball toward his own hand and hands of the other player.
Player lifts own hand to let ball under and immediately puts it down again.
Other player lifts his first hand at the last second and puts it down again after the ball passes under and catches it with the other hand.
Now second player repeats process. Switch places every 5 rolls so that the role each hand plays is reversed.
Repeat with both players looking at some target straight ahead while controlling the ball with peripheral seeing.

Aspects to be Emphasized:

JUMP BALL

Symmetrical jumping pattern using whole body with feet together.
Ability to jump over the ball gracefully regardless of the speed or direction from which it comes.

HAND JUMP BALL

Simultaneous awareness of self and other player when rolling the ball.
Flexibility in shifting the "lift" and "catch" roles from one hand to the other, under the direction visual clues.

COORDINATION TECHNIQUES

CAN CREEP

With eyes fixed on a target, teach the pupil to crawl in homolateral fashion.
Then progress to cross-pattern crawling.

Begin creeping by having pupil lie on the floor, place his hands under his chest. Then, by moving elbows and hips, have him creep forward with stomach touching the floor.
Use music of "Creepy, Crawly Caterpillar" and have the child creep forward and backward.
Show child how to move in a homolateral pattern, moving arm and leg on one side together. Set a goal for the child to crawl to (book or chair or mark) then crawl backward to starting point.
Teach cross-diagonal crawling, moving opposite arm and leg together. Crawl to target, crawl backward, and crawl to music in rhythm
Play games and have races having children go "fast like a horse", or "slow as a turtle". Use a small child for a rider.
Play games crawling over things (i.e. a pillow) or under chairs, tables, through cardboard boxes or tunnels.
Time children when crawling or hide things and have them crawl around to find them.
Play "May I" with children crawling. Mark the floor and say, "Crawl 2 lines forward" or "crawl 3 lines backward". If child fails to say "May I" he returns to the starting line.

Extend activities to team games or relays: potato on the grass with his nose, or spoon race holding a spoon in mouth with a small jackball in the tablespoon. Have relays through obstacle course.

CAN WALK

The child should have the ability to walk erect in a coordinated fashion without support.
Walking requires balance and coordination and children should have opportunities to develop skill in more difficult tasks.

Walk straight or curved path to target-goal and back. Teacher times child. Walk up and down steps.
Walk backward on a predetermined course.
Walk sideways. Then cross one foot over the other and go sideways.
March to music or a drum beat. Walk on tiptoe; with hands outstretched; with hands over head.
Do animal walks.
a. Rooster Walk. Holding the head and chest high, strut forward with knees straight and hands at the side of the chest. Wiggle elbows
   as flapping wings.
b. Elephant Walk. Bending forward at the waist, allow the arms to hang limp. Sway from side to side with big lumbering steps. Sway
   from side to side as you walk. This can be done to music.
c. Bear. Bend over from waist, and touch the floor with the hands, keeping the legs stiff. Move forward, walking the hands and
   plodding the feet, while keeping the head up.
d. Ostrich. Bending forward at the waist, grasp the ankles; keep the knees stiff while walking forward, stretching neck in and out.
Arm walk - Pupil lies flat on the floor and pushes up entire body with arms, keeping the knees stiff. Walk forward with arms and drag feet.
Put rope through top side of tin cans. Tie to shoes and have child walk.

Have a child trace around the feet of another as he takes long steps. Then have other children follow the path.

SOME MORE........

All About the Snowman
Five little snowmen were happy and gay,
The 1st one said "It's a beautiful day."
The 2nd one said "We'll never have tears."
The 3rd one said "We'll stand for years."
The 4th one said "But what will happen in May?"
And the 5th one said "Look!! We're melting away!"

Blue Bird

Blue bird, blue bird, in and out my window,
Blue bird, blue bird, in and out my window.
Blue bird, blue bird, in and out my window.
Oh blue bird I'm so tired.
(Hold hands in circle, move up and down;
pretend to sleep)

Duke of York
adapted from Mother Goose

The might Duke of York
He had ten thousand men.
He marched them up to the
Top of the hill
And marched them down again.
Oh when you're up you're up.
And when you're down you're down.
But when you're only half way up
You're neither up nor down.

Elephant Song

One elephant went out to play,
Upon a spider's web one day.
He had such enormous fun,
That he called for another elephant to come.

Repeat: two elephants, three elephants

All the elephants were out at play,
Upon a spider's web one day.
They had such enormous fun,
But there were no more elephants left to come.
(Can be done with child(ren) pretending to be elephants)

Elevator

(move legs up, up until at right angle with trunk;
down, down to floor)

The Farm Plants the Seeds
(Tune: Farmer in the Dell)

The farmer plants the seeds,
The farmer plants the seeds,
Hi, ho the derry-oh,
The farmer plants the seeds.

The sun begins to shine,
The sun begins to shine,
Hi, ho, the derry-oh,
The sun begins to shine,

The rain begins to fall,
The rain begins to fall,
Hi, ho, the derry-oh,
The rain begins to fall,

The wind begins to blow,
The wind begins to blow,
Hi, ho, the derry-oh,
The wind begins to blow,

The flower starts to grow,
The flower starts to grow,
Hi, ho, the derry-oh,
The flower starts to grow.

Hanukkah Lights

One light, two lights,
Three lights, and four (hold up four fingers)
Five lights, six lights,
And three more. (hold up five more fingers)
Twinkle, twinkle,
Nine pretty lights (move fingers)
In a gold Menorah bright! (cup palms of hands)

Hokey Pokey - Traditional

You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out,
You put your right foot in,
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey
And you turn yourself around,
That's what it's all about.
Repeat with: left foot, right arm
Left arm, whole self

I'm a Little Teapot

I'm a little teapot, short and stout.
Here is my handle, here is my spout,
When I get all steamed up then I shout.
Tip me over and pour me out.

I'm a Little Turkey
(tune: "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little turkey,
Fat and round,
Here is my waddle,
Here are my wings.
When I get all grown up
Then I shout,
"Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble"

I'm All Full of Hinges

I'm all full of hinges
And everything bends (explore joints with child)
From the top of my head (hands on head)
Way down to my ends. (hands on toes)
I'm hinges in front (bend forward)
I'm hinges in back. (bend back)
If I didn't have hinges
I think I would crack!

I'm Walking, Now I Stop
by Jackie Weissman Songsisters
Ann Arbor, MI

I'm walking, walking, walking,
I'm walking, walking, walking,
I'm walking, walking, walking,
Now I stop.
Repeat with: marching, jumping,
Rocking, sleeping,
Swaying, running
Use any motion, and freeze after "stop."

Little Orange Pumpkin

Little orange pumpkin
You're happy I can see.
For when I smile at you,
You smile right back at me.

Mama Cat

See the big fat mama cat,
See the big fat mama cat,
She creeps along all through the house,
Looking for a little mouse.

Mr. Snake

Wiggly, wiggly, wiggly snake,
Crawling, crawling all around.
Oh, he's a slippery, slippery snake,
Crawling, crawling on the ground.
(have child crawl on ground)

Mulberry Bush

Here we go round the Mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush,
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
So early in the morning.

My Aunt Came Back
by Songsisters
Ann Arbor, MI

Oh, my Aunt came back (child repeats)
From Old Agiers (child repeats)
And she brought me back (child repeats)
A pair of shears (child repeats; uses 2
fingers to cut like shears)
Repeat: Old Japan, paper fan (fan face)
Holland, too, wooden shoe (stomp one foot)
Old Belgium, some chewing gum
(smack lips like chewing gum)
the County Fair, a rocking chair
(rock back & forth)
Old Chile, an itchy flea (scratch
your ribs)
the City Zoo, nut like you (point at
everyone)
(Do each motion, keep it going while adding others!)

Punchinello
by Tossi Aaron
Coda Publishing Co.

What can you do,
Punchinello funny fellow?
What can you do,
Punchinello funny do?
We'll do it too,
Punchinello funny fellow.
We'll do it too.
Punchinello funny do.

Pumpkin, Pumpkin

Pumpkin, pumpkin, round and fat
Change into a jack-o-lantern
Just like that! (spin arms around and clap hands)

Snail
(tune: "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star")

Little snail, oh, where are you?
In your shell, you go so slow.
You've no hands; you have no feet,
What can ever make you go?

Hide your winky little head,
And you cannot see, see, see.
Little snail, you go so slow,
But you are such fun to show.

This is The Way
(to the tune of "Mulberry Bush")

This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face, wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face
So early in the morning.
(substitute for face: clean our room
brush our teeth
build with blocks
iron our clothes
(make up your own!)
(Make-up actions for each verse)

Three Little Monkeys

Three little monkeys jumping on the bed.
One fell off and bumped his head
Mama called the doctor
And the doctor said…
No more monkeys jumping on the bed.
(repeat 2 little monkeys, 1 little …)

Three Little Witches
(Tune: "Three Little Indians")

One little, two little,
Three little witches,
Flying over haystacks,
Flying over ditches.
Sliding down moonbeams
Without any hitches,
Hi, Ho! Halloween is here!

Turtle
(tune: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Turtle, turtle, where are you?
Oh, you are so slow, slow, slow.
First, one hand and then the other,
That's what makes you go, go, go.

Hide your winky, winky head,
Then you cannot see, see, see.
Turtle, turtle, peek-a-boo,
Peek-a-boo at me, me, me.

Two, Four, Six, Eight
by Songsisters
Ann Arbor, MI

Two, four, six, eight,
Tell me what is on your plate? Pizza
We're gonna have some pizza,
Hooray, hooray
We're gonna have some pizza,
Hooray, hooray
It's pizza for our breakfast,
Pizza all the day
Pizza, pizza in our bellies,
Hip, hip, hip, hooray!
Repeat adding one food each time.

Way Up in the Apple Tree

Way up in the apple tree,
Two little apples smiled at me.
I shook that tree
Just as hard as I could;
Down came the apples,
MMMMMM, MMMMMM good!

Where Is?

(to the tune of "Thumbkin")
Where is (child's name)?
Where is (child's name)?
There she is.
There she is.
How are you today? (wait for answer)
Yes, you are.
(This can be greatly varied while encouraging learning by
asking things such as: What is on your shirt?
What is in your hair?
Where are your buttons?
What color are your eyes?
Where is your mommy?
Etc.

Wiggle Worms

Oh, wiggly, wiggly worms
Are squirming all around,
Squiggle, squiggle, wiggle worms
Crawl in and out the ground.

(Have child crawl while saying the rhyme. Substitute "snakes" for
"worms" reminding child snakes usually move faster than worms.)

Worms Are Crawling

Worms are crawling, crawling, crawling,
Worms are crawling all around.
Making little tunnels, tunnels, tunnels,
Making little tunnels underneath the ground.

Little worms can you hear me under there?
Is it hot or cold under the ground?
Is it light or dark?
I think it is going to rain.

Rain, rain, raining and the worms are crawling,
Out of the tunnels, up above the ground.

(have child crawl on ground as you say the rhyme)