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!

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! 

Washing Tires

 I've posted about our fun with tires a month ago. Unfortunately since then, our tires have been mostly ignored. 10 were being used as a balance beam in the shady part of the playground. The rest have been collecting dust and spiders right outside our gate, giving the playground a "junkyard" feel to it.

After my last post, I was re-inspired by some of the advice I received from Tracy Macaroni and Juliet (I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here!).

The advice I recieved:

• Paint the inside of the tires white to keep spiders from nesting in there. I like this idea because it would make snakes more visible if they do decide to hang out there. I bought some new paint (Glidden grey exterior primer and white primer and paint in one). 
• Paint the exterior of the tires bright colors to keep them from getting too hot. We have some left over gloss paints from painting the classroom. I'm sure these will eventually come off, because they are not meant for outdoors, but we'll address that issue later. I plan on leaving some white and some grey, so the kids can use the tires as easels with acrylic paint, or even tempura paints.
• Drill the sides of the tires to allow water to drain. I bought some new drill bits to drill some holes into the tires to keep them from collecting water. 
• Use some for storage. This is a great option for hot, Arizona summer days. 
• Use a large one to make an outdoor cozy area. They filled theirs up with sand, and built a teepee over it. Great idea! I was thinking of planting sunflowers in a semi-circle around a large tire to create natural shade. 
• Bury some half way into the ground. I love this, but I don't think it's possible. We have grass in Arizona, which is very expensive and high-maintenance. :-( But we can cut some in half to make it look like they are buried half way (thanks Tracy), and the kids can crawl under them, over them, sit on them, and carry them around. I just need to find a really heavy duty knife!

Before we can paint, however, we had to clean the tires. 

The mission: 

Wash 25 tires in one morning.


The crew: 17 three year olds.

Materials: Sponges, dish detergent, buckets, and a hose. 

The activity lasted about 2 hours.

I knew this was coming. Buckets of sudsy water on the ground are just screaming for you to dip your feet in!

And of course, once you dip your feet in, you might as well sit in it!

Taryn sing-sang, "I can do this all day, I can do this all daaaay!"

I love how a three year old's body language is so telling. You don't have to see their faces to know they really want to get in, too!

...so they do!

Here it is again: the three year old's fixation of dipping your forehead in a bucket of water! At this point, I had to remind myself that although we set out with my (adult) goal of getting the tires clean, this is still a process-oriented activity. I had to bite by tongue, and allow them to really explore the soap and water.

Look at their foreheads. haha...
A large part of the morning was spent splashing and swirling little hands in the soapy water. Others spent the morning tipping over the buckets and washing it wall splash out.

And out of 17 or so kids, I had 4 who consistently helped scrub the tires.

 This activity is good for:

• Sensory experience: Children at this age are truly sensory beings. They learn by touching, seeing, smelling, hearing, and tasting. This experience allowed them to feel the slippery soapy water, the soft grass beneath their feet, the rubbery surface of a tire, the warm sun upon their backs, the light wind on a wet body, the feel of water dripping down their fore-heads, and sound of splashing water.
• Large motor skills: When they scrubbed those tires, they were working the muscles in their arms, shoulders and back-- all muscles that are needed for writing later on. The more a child works those muscles, the sooner they will be able to write with a a pencil. When the child switched sponges from one hand to the other, or scrubbed across their mid-line, they are building connections between the left and right sides of their brain. Exercise is literally brain building.
• Cooperative Play: During this activity, the children had to communicate with each other to reach desired goals. "Can I sit in there with you?" "Can I use your sponge?" "Let's tip the water over!" Any employer will tell you that communication skills, along with the ability to work cooperatively in a team setting is a desired quality in an employee. Kindergarten teachers ask that children enter their classroom with manners and the ability to communicate effectively with each other. 

That's it! I'm off to go paint some tires!

Happy playing!

Fun with Tires

A few months ago, a parent donated 30 tires to our center. I was ecstatic! Finally, large loose parts for the children to move and manipulate!

The children built a tunnel:

The tires kept either falling or rolling, so one brilliant child decided to use the tires as a prop to support the tunnel.

Look at how they formed a line, and took turns with little help!

Tires are the perfect size for little bodies to squeeze through.

Later, on a different days, they built an obstacle course:

Tires are a perfect way to test balance. Each tire is a slightly different size...so each tire provides another problem to solve.

Imagine the team work that took place to move these tires into position. I heard things like, "This is heavy. Can you help me move it over there, please?" and "Lets work together!" The children who said, "I can't move it," were encouraged to try...and they found out they COULD!

They left a large space that became a perfect "jump" point. Look at Robert's "superhero" pose! :)

They also have used the tires to roll around, sit in,  and build "houses" (by stacking two or three tires on top of each other).

I wish I could say that the tires have created an enthusiastic response among fellow teachers and even some parents. I understand the concerns...

• Tires are dirty. (We did wash them within the first few weeks of having them...I took pictures with another teacher's camera, and still don't have them to post! I will email her for them, because that was a great morning!)

          I also bought primer to paint the tires with. This will cover the black, and keep it from rubbing off on clothes. We can paint over them with tempura. Yes, the tempura will wash away, but I like the idea of having unusual easels outdoors to revisit over and over again.

• Empty tires are a great spot for spiders and snakes to hide in. I proposed that we use them for gardening.
• In the Arizona summer, these babies will be off-limits! With temps that reach 110 degrees, black tires are not the best idea. That's okay. We can put them away during our hot months, and bring them out in cooler temperatures!
• And then, there's licensing...We can't keep the tires within 6 feet of a wall or any other play structure. If we keep them near a fence, the fence has to be 4 and 1/2 feet higher than the tire (ours is 4 and 1/2 ft tall exactly).

I really wasn't expecting all the red tape! Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

I do know this: If no one else wants them, I will use them ALL. Also, the tires support physical as well as socioemotional growth and development. Big muscles are being used, and there is problem solving happening!

I will keep using them, until instructed not to. Stay tuned! 



Happy playing! :)