Star jumps

3. Mats End

5. Tunnel

One at a time each child moves through the obstacle course (Repeat 2x) 1. The child walks along the rope heel-to-toe. When the child

reaches a therapy ring, the child bends down slowly and picks up the ring on the side of the rope and squeezes it 3 times in each hand.

2. The child jumps over the cones with 2 feet together. 3. The child hops on 1 leg over the colour mats. 4. The child does 10 star jumps.

5. The child crawls through the tunnel to the finish.

 Dynamic and static balance  Body awareness  Bilateral coordination  2 x rope  3 x ring set  4 x traffic cones  5 x colour mats  1 x tunnel

2. Animal walking (10 min) Children stand in a group on a line one next to the other. When the

whistle blows the children must walk to the other side of the room  Dynamic balance  Body  None

171

according to instruction:

 Seal: Each child must lie on the floor on his/her stomachs. The children lift up the front of their bodies by using their hands. The children need to walk on their hands, pulling their body and dragging their legs behind them.

 Crab: Child must sit on the ground with hands behind body. The child lifts his/her buttocks from the ground, forming a table with his/her body. The child must walk sideways, keeping his/her buttocks off the ground at all times.

 Frog: The child sits on his/her haunches with arms between legs. On the whistle the child jumps forwards into the air and lands in the same starting position (on haunches, arms between legs).

 Ostrich: Child bends forwards to hold onto ankles. The child’s knees are slightly bent. The child walks forwards while holding ankles (the child must not let go ankles at any time).

 Caterpillar: Children need to start by bending down forwards onto their haunches. The child needs to walk slowly through 3 phases. Phase 1: The child walks forwards with hands into a push-up position. Phase 2: The child holds the push-up position for 1 second. Phase 3: The child walks slowly with his/her feet back onto his/her haunches. The 3 movements are repeated.

coordination and awareness  Core strength

3. Under the parachute (10 min) The children are divided into teams of 2. Each group represents a colour. There is a parachute on the floor with different colours on it. The children stand on the edge of parachute next to his/her colour (groups have the same colour). All the children are instructed to grab hold of the parachute, lifting it up into the air. The children are instructed to slowly lift the parachute up over their heads and back down again (hip height). The researcher will shout out a colour. The partners that represent that colour will run under the parachute when it is up in the air and swop places.

Progression: Once all partners have had 3 turns swopping places, The

researcher places small balls (pretend popcorn) on top of the parachute. The children need to gently lift the parachute up into the air and back down again, making sure the balls do not fall out of the parachute.

 Body schema  1 x parachute  6 x small balls

172

Cool-down: (5 min)

 Balance heel-to-toe and thread Children are divided into teams of 2. The children are instructed to stand heel-to-toe opposite one another (1m apart). Threading beads are placed on the floor in between the partners. Each partner has a string in their hands. one at a time, the partners need to bend their knees, to pick up a bead one at a time. The child stands up straight, still remaining in the heel-to toe position, and threads the bead on the string. The game is completed once all the beads have been threaded. (Repeat 2 times.)

 Static balance

 Manual dexterity  Beads  Thread

173

WEEK 7 SESSION 12

Duration: 45 minutes AIM OF SESSION: Balance and spatial/body awareness

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS FOCUS EQUIPMENT

Warm-up: (5 min)

 Builders and diggers CONEs are placed all over an area. The children are divided into 2 teams. 1 team represents the diggers and the other the builders. The diggers must knock all the cones over and the builders must place all the cones upright. When the researcher blows the whistle, all children freeze and the researcher counts how many cones are down and how many are up. The team with the most cones wins.

 Endurance  Whistle

 20 X traffic cones

1. Walking bean bag balance (10

min) Children are each given a bean bag. On instruction the children begin to walk around the room with the bean bag placed on their heads. The children need to balance the bean bag while slowly walking. Make the game harder by giving further instructions:

 Walk fast  Walk backwards  Walk heel-to-toe  Walk on tip toes  Walk on heels

The children all receive a tennis racket and a tennis ball. Each child needs to stand still and try to balance the tennis ball on the racket for 30 seconds.

Progression: Have the children walk around the room slowly while

still trying to balance the ball on the racket. Then the children are instructed to stand still and hit the tennis ball onto the ground with the racket (bouncing) 10 times.

 Dynamic balance  Ball skills

 4 x bean bags  4 x tennis rackets  4 x tennis balls

2. Body letters (10 min) Children are divided into teams of 2 or more. The groups are instructed to make certain letters by using their bodies. The children lie on the floor and form the shape of the letter for example; P, B, S, N, L. See picture below:  Body awareness (Laterality and Directionality)  Social interaction and communication  None

174

3. Crab soccer (15 min) Children are divided into two teams of 3. Each team is instructed to shoot their goals on the opposite side of the room through 2 marked cones. Children are instructed to walk like crabs, only using their feet to kick the ball (no hands).

Crab walk: Child must sit on the ground with hands behind body. The child lifts his/her buttocks from the ground, forming a table with his/her body. The child must walk sideways, keeping his/her buttocks off the ground at all times.

 Core strength  Body coordination  Dynamic balance  Team play  Spatial awareness  4 x traffic cones  6 x colour bibs  1 x mini soccer ball Cool-down: (5 min)

 Traveling hoop a) Children stand in a circle and hold hands. A big hoop is placed between 2 of the children. Each child needs to climb through the hoop by using their bodies as the hoop is moved around the circle. The children may not let go hands.

 Bilateral Coordination  Body awareness  1 x small hoola hoop (hoop)  1 x big hoola hoop (hoop)

175

 Farmer and the rabbit

Progression: Use a smaller hoop.

b) The children sit in a circle. Two medicine balls are passed around the circle according to a story. The farmer (medicine ball 1) chases the rabbit (medicine ball 2) because the rabbit is eating all his veggies. When the farmer catches the rabbit the game is over (Repeat to both left and right sides)

 Upper body strength

 Midline crossing

 2 x medicine balls (1 larger than the other)

176

WEEK 8