We all know how energetic children can get! As educators, we try our best to make learning more fun by incorporating movement based activities. However, in a classroom setting, there are times when we need them to be focused in order to learn. Often, children struggle to calm down.
In such situations, it can be a real challenge for both the educators and children! It was a struggle for me too! Fret not! An occupational therapist who visited our centre gave me some fantastic ideas on heavy work activities that helped my students to a great extent. It does not only help to calm their overly stimulated nervous system but also helps with their muscles. I can safely say that it works as I have tried it with my students and see the changes! Wow! I was amazed!
I am going to share some simple ideas with you today! These activities do not require much space or resources! I hope it will be beneficial for you guys too! Have fun!
Butt scooting- sitting on the floor and using hands to propel yourself forward
Crawling
Bear crawl
Pushing a box filled with heavy items such as bottles or books back and forth
Using a rope to pull a box full of heavy items back and forth
Frog jumps
Push ups against a wall
Crossing over a high rope
Climbing stairs
Tug of war
Say YAY to more fun! and hopefully some calm after.....
Till we meet again,
Vani