by Rashmi Sharma | Apr 17, 2020 | Fitness Activity
Requirements
• Indoor space free of obstacles and valuable breakables such as lamps, pictures and plants
• Large round balloon
• Empty cardboard tube from wrapping paper
Instructions
- Inflate the balloon until it is relatively hard.
- Show your toddler how to hit the balloon around the room with the cardboard tube.
- Allow your toddler to have fun hitting the balloon around the room in any manner they like.TIP: You don’t need to “coach” any batting or hitting technique.
Variations
• If you have two cardboard tubes, try to take turns hitting the balloon to each other while keeping the balloon in the air.
Benefits
This activity develops hand-eye coordination and timing while using a simple bat (i.e., striking tool). These skills also transfer to striking with a racquet or stick.
by Rashmi Sharma | Apr 17, 2020 | Fitness Activity
Requirements
- Small hockey sticks (wooden or plastic)
- Plastic ball 8-10 cm diameter (e.g. street hockey ball)
Instructions
- Create two small goals in your driveway, patio, or hard surface at a local park.
- Play a simple game of one-against-one hockey with your toddler.
- Allow your child to score goals for encouragement.
Variations
- Show your child how to “stickhandle” the ball with small touches that change the ball direction
- Create a big goal and act as goalkeeper so your child can attempt to score on you
Benefits
This activity develops hand-eye coordination and timing while using a hockey stick (i.e., striking tool). These skills also transfer to striking with a bat or racquet.
by Rashmi Sharma | Apr 16, 2020 | Fitness Activity
Requirements
Instructions
- Either indoors or outdoors, pretend to be different animals with your child.
- Flap your arms like bird wings and “fly” around obstacles.
- Hop on all fours like a frog, and say “Ribbit-ribbit-ribbit”.
- Hop on two legs with feet together, and pretend to be kangaroos.
- Bend your knees, walk with your legs far apart, and swing your arms like chimpanzees.
- Walk on feet and hands and pretend to be a reptile.
- Walk on hands and knees and pretend to be kittens saying “meow”.
- Slide on the floor or ground and pretend to be snakes saying “hiss”.
- Invent other animal ideas and noises.
Variations
- Ask your child to suggest an animal that you can both imitate
Benefits
This activity develops coordination and balance as kids try to imitate the movements of different animals.
