A great list of senosry activites for babies, 6 months to 12 months. Edible sensory activities included, such as our famous baby sand...
In the day and age where Netflix and iPads can provide great entertainment for our kids, sometimes it's nice to turn the screens off and get back to good ol' fashion play time for kids.
Need the perfect song to get children moving? These are sure to be a winner!
Mental Checklist for the Preschool Homeschool – Motor Skills As a teacher, objective based education was the norm. Each lesson was planned via a ‘backward mapping’ process in which what the students were expected to be able to do by the end of the lesson was the primary focus. The objectives. I grew to hate the acronym ‘TSWBAT…’ It took me some time to figure out that it stood for, ‘The Students Will Be Able To:’ I hated, loathed, and despised posting objectives on my board every day. Mine was always a somewhat unconventional classroom in that the narrative of the lesson was the most important thing, and if the story took an unexpected turn that day… oh well… let’s learn something else instead. For English, as well as for Biology. No question was too hard for the class to find an answer to. Lesson plans always seemed more of a ‘suggested guide’ and rather than have a daily plan, I would prefer a weekly or monthly plan, leaving room for ‘exploration’. Don’t get me wrong… I see real value in objectives. I think it is very important to have some form of ‘road map’ or the curriculum gets bogged down and goes nowhere. You have to begin with the end in mind. My classroom application, however well it worked well in high school in Australia, was not so much of a fit in middle school in the US. I received low marks in several reviews because I did not have a lesson plan to show my supervisor at the end of a ‘surprise observation’. Never you mind that all the other categories were checked off as ‘excellent’. So I have come to the conclusion that, as good as I was as a classroom teacher, (and I WAS good… VERY good...) I don’t actually fit well in the current factory model of schooling, and might, in fact, do much better as a homeschooler in this day and age. And I will still have objectives – but not so much as a list of items to be tested; more as a mental checklist for me to make sure that I do have an ‘end’ in mind for each unit of work. Preschool is a little different in that there is no list of dates, facts and figures to be learned. Instead there is a series of skills and concepts that must be mastered if later learning is to be successful. And yes, later learning is not simply a list of dates, facts and figures….the learning of skills and concepts continues into adulthood. It’s just that there are more dates and facts and figures to learn later ;) Over the next few weeks, I plan to outline my Preschool Homeschool Mental Checklists for Mum for a range of Objective Groups. This week is Motor Skills. Rather than try to plan lessons around each item (as one would for school objectives, sadly) this is more of a list to glance at occasionally and select a few items to focus on over the course of a week or so. Better yet, pick an activity that your child loves, go through the list to see what skills it hits, and then select a couple of extra skills you can extend the activity with. Be creative! download link below Suggested Age Range – 2-3 (My 2 year old can do a lot of these. My 3 (nearly 4) year old can do all of them.) Gross Motor Locomotor Skills Hops Runs/Changes DirectionSkips Marches Walks backwards at least 5 ft Walks tiptoe for short distance Follows a designated path Crawls through a tunnel Gross Motor Balance and Rotation Jumps at least 6 inches both in the air and in distance. Alternates Feet Down Stairs Walks a straight line/balance beam Stand on one foot for 5-10secs Climbing (e.g. a slide) Pedals a tricycle Gross Motor Manipulative Skills Kicks a ball forward Throws a ball overhead Throws underarm Attempts to catch a large ball Aims at a target Fine Motor Skills Clasps hands Touches pointer fingers Controls fingers individually Demonstrates pincer control (picking up small objects) Self Help Skills Able to button a garment Able to zip a zipper Puts on own shoes (no laces) Can feed self with spoon and fork Can wash hands Can get a drink Uses toilet semi-independently Scissor Skills Handles scissors well Cuts simple shapes Writing/Drawing skills Correct pencil grasp Draws/writes with increasing control Able to copy simple shapes Draws and colours beyond a simple scribble Other Stacks 7 or more blocks Pastes objects Completes simple puzzles Can pour from one container into another You can download a pdf copy of this checklist here. You might also be interested in: Featured at: Linking up with:
A super fun arrow jumping game for kids. Comes with a free printable.
As they’re creating this sensory hand fidget, kids will get the benefit of building hand strength and coordination.
When the weather is too cold to go outdoors and the kids are bouncing off the walls, you sometimes need to get creative. Maybe you’ve got a few Occupational Therapy students who would benefit from a vestibular movement activity like this snowflake balance beam! This is a great indoor gross motor activity for preschool or ... Read more
Gross motor activities for preschoolers a must! Getting their little bodies moving gets them active and makes learning easier and more fun for them!
Crossing midline activities. Crossing midline is the ability to use both sides of the body at the same time. Gross motor activities that help develop skills
What is crossing midline and why is it an important skill in child development? Here are 10 FUN crossing midline exercises for kids.
In the day and age where Netflix and iPads can provide great entertainment for our kids, sometimes it's nice to turn the screens off and get back to good ol' fashion play time for kids.
Write for the NAfME Blog SEARCH & FILTER Search Category Subscribe to NAfME Notes Subscribe to NAfME Notes, our biweekly e-newsletter, to receive highlights from the blog and other NAfME news in your inbox. Subscribe Now Write for the NAfME Blog Interested in sharing your experience with the music education…
We are always telling our kids to “follow your heart” in life! Now they can with their scissors in this fun and easy Valentines Scissor Skills activity!
Try these hand-eye coordination games and activities with your kids. They are simple and quick to set up and play.
Spring is in the air and Little Bee has been asking about the changing seasons. As we walk around the neighborhood, I have pointed out to him the budding trees and birds building their nests. I explained that the buds are on the trees in the spring and the leaves will appear in the summer. […]
Why bilateral integration is important to your child's learning development and what activities to incorporate into their daily routine.
This resource covers information on the proprioceptive sense and includes proprioception sensory activities for kids.
We've collected 100 sensory activities for all ages. Includes proprioceptive, vestibular and tactile strengthening activities.
These are fabulous DIY Sensory Blocks - great for young children and their sensory development and SO EASY to make! Simple materials used for great sensory
Quick and easy fine motor activity for toddlers and preschoolers using clothespins! Try it!
Build preschoolers' visual skills with these fun visual perception activities, which are important for reading and writing.
Write for the NAfME Blog SEARCH & FILTER Search Category Subscribe to NAfME Notes Subscribe to NAfME Notes, our biweekly e-newsletter, to receive highlights from the blog and other NAfME news in your inbox. Subscribe Now Write for the NAfME Blog Interested in sharing your experience with the music education…
This Blog and Infographic will review tonic reflexes, their significance if the reflex persists beyond the typical age range, and the possible impact on a child’s functioning and role performance. Last but not least, this blog will suggest therapeutic interventions that are known to help inhibit the activation of tonic reflexes and advance postural control as a foundation for optimal functioning.
FROZEN ELSA PAPER TUBE CRAFT
These fun decision-making games for kids will teach them to think and make choices - a vital skill to develop in early childhood.
Make darling little popsicle stick cats for a craft! Supplies Needed: 4 popsicle sticksGoogly eyesMarkersScissorsGlue Directions: Cut all 4 popsicle sticks in half.Put 3 together then take the middle stick and cut the top off.
What is crossing midline and why is it an important skill in child development? Here are 10 FUN crossing midline exercises for kids.
In the day and age where Netflix and iPads can provide great entertainment for our kids, sometimes it's nice to turn the screens off and get back to good ol' fashion play time for kids.
These simple auditory perception activities and games will help you prepare your preschoolers for reading success later on.
Free Shape Matching printable activity. A great way to help your toddlers with shape recognition
Children move through predictable stages of drawing during their development. Here are the drawing milestones, listed by age.
Auditory memory is a skill that influences reading ability. Here are 12 simple auditory memory games and activities.
Upper extremity hand strength isn’t just about strong hands! Kids need upper extremity strength for tasks such as handwriting, coloring, managing clothing fasteners, and more! The thing is, upper extremity strengthening begins at a very young age. In fact, activities for toddlers can be loaded with the strengthening and dexterity activities that strengthen the upper ... Read more
