Somersaults in Preschool

I brought in my yoga mat this week to inspire some gross motor play!

The kids brought over a pillow, and used it as a launching point for rolling.

They lined up, and took turns either rolling or braving a somersault.

Once they got the hang of it, it was completely addicting.

They kept coming back to try it again, and again.

I left the yoga mat on a low shelf all week, and the children would occasionally pull it out and try out their somersaults again.

By the end of the week, most were pros. I was able to see who caught on quickly, and refer a parent or two to possible look into gymnastics for their child.

Here are some tips if you're thinking about trying this with your preschooler(s):

• Start off on a flat, soft surface. We used a yoga mat, using a large pillow to launch. 
• Don't put your weight on your head, as this can cause an injury. Instead, put your weight on your hands and feet, and gently push off. 
• Tuck your head in between your knees and roll forward, keeping your legs tucked all through the roll (THINK ROUND THOUGHTS!)
• You should roll into a sitting position, with your feet flat on the floor.

Happy playing!

International Mud Day

It was international mud day on June 29th, and I'm the one, crazy teacher at my center who celebrated it! I decided not to rock the boat too much, and combined mud play with water play day. 

It started off with a bag of top soil, a couple buckets of sand from the sand box, and water.  

I put half the bag of soil in the sensory table...

...and half in a wagon top whose wheels broke a long time ago, and it has been waiting to be re-used.

To create another water source, I brought a  plastic water jug from home and filled it with the hose

This was by FAR the most popular thing on the playground, despite my attempts to draw them toward the mud! There is something about having control over the water flow that proved irresistible...So, although I brought it specifically for mud day, I decided to keep it around for a while longer. 

 There were some takers at the sensory table, but everyone seemed hesitant to try  actually standing in the mud.

And FINALLY, after seeing silly Ms. Gina mixing up the mud with her feet, there was interest in the mud puddle.

They wanted to help me mix the mud.

Getting braver...

"Oh! It's SO GOOEY!"

Splashing proved satisfying.

She had refused to go near the mud...but when I wasn't looking, she decided to test it out.

Right after this, she stepped out and asked to be hosed off! :)

Team work!

Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather...only bad clothes!

If you are not prepared with extra clothes, rain boots, and jackets you are missing out on some great sensory play!

However, if circumstances like low budget and neat-freak superiors get in your way...

make it happen on water day!

I ask my parents to always have extra clothes available, and to send them in clothes that are allowed to get messy. There is a print-out of Lisa Murphy's (the Ooey Gooey Lady) print-out called "Red Paint in the Hair?!" posted on my door, and prior to enrolling in my class, I inform parents of how "hands-on" we are.

The best tool I have is technology. I use my camera to capture the play-based, messy learning that we do and blog about it for parents to see what we do every day. I am utilizing Facebook and email to keep parents informed about classroom updates and photos. I also post pictures all around my classroom.

It is my next goal to make or purchase cheap rain coats for our monsoon season (rainy season). The goal is to have enough for each child in the class.

Is everyone as enthusiastic about messy play as I am? Not really, but I know it's for the good of the children.

Muddy, messy bonding time!

Overall, it was a great day! Because we combined it with water day, the children came prepared to get messy.  We were able to hose everyone down, and get changed before lunch. 

For more information about the benefits of mud play, as well as mud activity ideas, check out these resources:

• The Mud Puddle 
• Let Your Kids Get Dirty 
• Marvelous Mud 
• Playing in the Mud Can Make Your Children Smart!
• 7 Tips for Mud Play at Preschool 
• 5 Tips To Help Parents Embrace Messy Play at School 
• 30+ Dirty Kid Activities

Happy playing!

Linked To:

The mud puddle

Can I tell you a secret?

There was a time not too long ago I would have FREAKED OUT if I saw a child jumping in the mud puddle. I would have made the kids put their shoes back on, go dry in the sun, and I would have blocked off the puddle.

Over time, the more experienced I have become, the more I realized the losing battle I had been fighting with getting messy.

It is in our very nature to dig, splash, and explore, and it is our duty to foster that natural curiosity in children.

Will they make a mess? Absolutely.

I have extra clothes available in my classroom at all times. I ask parents to make sure to send a change of clothes for messy play. I keep towels handy at all times, and a hose for really messy situations.

On this day, I saw Peyton had taken off her shoes, and was exploring the puddle.

Instead of freaking out, I got out my camera.

She began to attract a crowd. Before I knew it, the others took off their shoes, and were taking turns splashing, too!

Without the opportunity to get messy, children will not learn to appreciate being clean.

Jumping in a puddle is taking a risk--six months ago, there is NO WAY Christopher would have jumped in that puddle. He had a panic attack with even a drop of water on his shirt. Now I can't keep him away from the messy activities! And I don't intend to.

Through their interactions with the environment during play, children gain control and ultimately mastery over a range of manipulative and motor skills.

This is what I love about outdoor play--it provides open-ended opportunities for play that at times are unpredictable and sometimes risky--however it is through these risks that children learn problem solving and develop social confidence. Children need the freedom to take risks in play because it allows them to test the limits of their development, physically, emotionally, and cognitively.

Happy playing! 

The Sand Mountain

We have a HUGE outdoor playground. It has an "L" shape, with one half being used by the 4's and 5's classes, and the other being used by the 1's, 2's, and 3's. Our sandbox is right in the middle.

Lately, our sandbox has been getting kind of low.

My directors scheduled for a fresh new load of sand to be delivered this week. Luckily, it happened to be when my class was on the play ground. They knew the sand truck was coming, so we picked a spot to watch (out of harms way, but still close enough to see everything.

We watched him back into the playground, all the way to the very edge of the sandbox (cracking the sidewalk in the process), and dump a large mound of sand.

It was all very exciting. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the sand being dumped, but I had my wits about me when the sand truck left, and the kids got to work on the "mountain," as they called it.

EVERYONE joined in.

The kids experiment with different ways to go down the mountain.

 Jumping.

Running. And if you look in the background, you'll see Braeden preparing to get a running start to go up the mountain.

Sliding.

And rolling!

Shoes came off, and feet disappeared into the sand.

It was a hot, Arizona day, so I'm sure the sand felt nice and cool all around her legs.

I tried walking on the mountain too, but I was quickly told, "Ms. Gina, please get off our mountain!"

Teachers have no fun!

Right after this, we went inside for lunch and nap. During nap time, two teachers leveled out the sand, and returned the sand toys to the sandbox. It turns out, we were the only class that got to play on the mountain. :)

This activity:

• Helped build strong muscles: It took a lot of effort to climb a mountain in which your feet sink into. I saw many children digging, burying, jumping, running, and rolling...experimenting with what their little bodies could do! 
• Encouraged Cooperative Play: Lots of little bodies in a small space requires some negotiating. When over-eager boys accidentally jumped on a friend, or rolled over another person, there was some apologizing done. This was a great lesson in personal boundaries and manners (once they figured out they were hurting others, they remembered to say "excuse me" before entering someone's space, and to ask before jumping on others: "Can I jump over you?")

Happy playing!