Low-down Animal Movements

A good chance to check for possible problem areas.

Objectives

Children ages 2 ½-4 can imitate body movements GM IX
ages 2-3 can follow verbal directions involving body movements Lang. IA
and all children participating can take part in an imitative group role-playing situation Cog. IV A
and they will learn to strengthen their spine and neck

Materials

Large tumbling-type mats or carpeted area.

Procedures

1. Have the children take off their shoes and lie down on their backs. First ask them to wiggle their toes. If they can't do it, you wiggle them for them. Tell them to look at their wiggling toes and keep looking to the count of 5.

2. Put a box on one side of the room and a ball on the other (or any other convenient objects). "Turn your head and look at the ball. Is your ear touching the ground? Can you hear noises on the floor? Is the floor hot or cold? Can your ear feel it?"

3. While keeping their arms at their sides, have children roll over on their stomachs and then over on their backs. Have them continue rolling in same position across the room and then roll back to their starting positions.

4. Next have children lie on their stomachs. Tell them they are to move like snakes sliding through the jungle. Have them put their arms at their sides and push forward with the balls of their feet. As snakes, they should periodically lift heads and chests off floor and hold to count of 5.

5. Next have children pretend they are alligators crawling on the ground, sliding on their stomachs and using arms and legs to propel themselves. Each child should reach forward with right arm and flex right leg with head turned to right, pushing with foot and pulling with hand. Repeat with left side, alternating sides as child moves along ground.