School Sparks - Kindergarten Readiness

Summer is the perfect time for children to practice and move their large muscles in their arms and legs. Backyards, driveways and parks provide open areas for gross motor activities. But often I hear (from other mothers and from children) the annoying cry - “I’m bored!” I would often tell my children to “go outside and find something to do” when I heard that complaint. That worked pretty well thirty years ago, but I know that times have changed. Children now often find “something to do” that involves a media screen and very little movement. So parents may need to take a more active and direct approach to encourage children to move their bodies and hone gross motor skills. Here are ten ideas that will make moving fun for kids - even when it is warm and sticky outside.

Let me introduce you to Danny, an adorable boy, who was large for his age with a big smile to match. He began his preschool year with a great deal of enthusiasm and quickly made friends with his classmates. I noticed early in the year that Danny often plowed into other children when running on the playground or lining up in class. He would always apologize and his personable nature normally meant that he was quickly forgiven by his classmates. He also periodically fell out of his chair while working at his desk or stumbled out of line as the children were waiting in line to walk to recess.

Since only 11-15% of the population is left-handed, you may be surprised when you first discover your child is left-handed. When teaching a left-handed child gross motor and fine motor skills, there are a few special points to consider.

Heather sent me an interesting email this week that I wanted to share. “Hi mom. Funny story… Joshua spilled milk on his pants during lunch today. He left the table to run to his closet and came back with clean jeans—but they were on backwards…