  |
|||
|
|
|
||
|
Posted by Susan Hyde Jun 7, 2007 |
No doubt, your five year old is excited about the idea of attending school in the fall. You may worry, however, whether your child is ready for school academics. Surprisingly, the best school readiness isn't "academic" at all! Kindergarteners who have physical confidence will be more comfortable socializing on the playground and participating in classroom activities. Four important ares of physical development, including motor planning, crossing the midline, vestibular awareness, and tactile ability, are improved through play.
Motor Planning, or the ability to organize and carry out movement, is developed through repetition. Motor planning is important for self control as well as in many art, music, and PE situations. Develop motor planning with these activities:
- Dancing
- Bouncing, kicking and catching balls and balloons of different sizes
- Catching bubbles or even fireflies
- Playing "Simon Says"
- Running an obstacle course that requres crawling rolling, hanging, and climbing.
Crossing the Midline, or the ability to move hands and feet across the body and the ability to coordinate hands and feet together, helps students to learn new physical skills and is also important as students learn to write and draw. Encourage children to cross the midline with these activities:
- Wheelbarrow walking
- Playing hand clapping games like "See-See my Playmate", "Miss Mary Mack", and "Miss Susie"
- Learning string games like "Cat's Cradle" and "Jacob's Ladder"
- Playing hopscotch
- Painting on an easel or drawing with chalk on a large chalkboard or sidewalk
- Stirring pancake batter or other ingredients in a large bowl
- Pedaling on a tricycle or bicycle
The vestibular system, which doesn't begin to fully mature until the early elementary years, tells us where our bodies are in space. Vestibular development helps children to feel secure when climbing, sliding, or swinging. Encourage vestibular maturity with physical activities:
- Floating on the back (with or without support) in a swimming pool
- Sitting or lying on the stomach while pushing along on a skateboard
- Jumping on a pogo stick, freestyle pogo, or trampoline
- Hanging upside down from monkey bars
- Somersaulting
- Swinging "super hero style" (on the stomach)
- Walking on junior stilts
- Riding a scooter
Tactile development helps students to use classroom tools, develop handwriting, and to become more comfortable touching different textures. Encourage fine motor skills with fun tactile activities:
- Sculpting with playdough or papermache
- Using fingerpaints
- Playing in the sandbox or the mud
- Playing board and card games
- Making compost , weeding, and planting in the garden
Who knew that school readiness could be so much fun?