Physical Literacy or Music & Movement

PHYSICAL LITERACY/MUSIC & MOVEMENT PLANNING

TOPP KIDS physical literacy initiative (Health & Wellness) was created to address child obesity in the after-school setting. By teaching children that eating healthy and being physically active every day can be FUN, we establish healthy habits in children that promote behaviour changes that can last a lifetime. We combine high energy, non-elimination activities with teaching skills and strategies that keep kids moving and having fun both indoors and out.

RULES

SKILL BUILDING
The idea behind planning active play the way we do at TOPP KIDS is to teach children new skills based on their developmental levels, that being competitive is healthy and teamwork and good sportsmanship goes along way. We plan activities to encourage this skill building, selecting certain outcome skills and finding an activity to help teach those to them. Skills such as:

• Jumping / skipping
• Dribbling
• Social & Emotional
• Striking
• Flexibility
• Cardio
• Mental & Cognitive
• Strength
• Climbing
• Agility
• Alternating
• Throwing
• Coordination
• Catching
• Core
• Dexterity
• Physical
• Balance
• Speed

ANNUAL MANDATORY SKILLS / GAMES

• Hockey
• Basketball
• Baseball / Kickball
• Soccer
• Tennis / Badminton
• Healthy Eating
• Dodgeball (non-eliminating)
• Kick-the-Can
• The Animal Game (Nature or Environment Weeks)

WHAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE ACTIVE PLAY PLANNING?
When planning active play, it is easy to fall into repetition. Playing games like T.A.G. more than once a week in a row is not acceptable at TOPP KIDS. There are hundreds of versions that kids want to play, just try to spread them out. When the same games are played over and over, children begin to lose interest and stop learning new skills. STAY CREATIVE and keep the activities SAFE!

ROUGH-AND-TUMBLE PLAY
Rough and Tumble Play can be important to a child’s development, but it is important to limit this type of activity and monitor it, so it stays appropriate.

Rough-and-tumble play is often identified as wrestling or play fighting but also includes behaviours such as running, chasing, use of open-handed slaps, pushing or pulling another player, using a loud or roaring voice, making hitting motions, and jumping on, throwing or kicking an object (Tannock, 2005). While some of these descriptors might also be included when describing aggression, the defining variable is that children engaging in rough and tumble play have a playful purpose.

Educators can quickly identify if physical actions are harmful by carefully observing the intention of the child. If the child is displaying an open body stance including the “play face” with smiles and laughter (Reed & Brown, 2000; Pellegrini & Smith, 1998), they are enjoying the activity. However, children who are displaying a closed body stance including clenched fists, without smiles and laughter, and who are using an angry tone of voice are not playful in their actions. This is aggression and the Educators need to quickly intervene before someone gets hurt.

Nevertheless, when physical interactions among children are playful and not aggressive, Educators are often uncertain of what to do (Tannock, 2008). This is not unexpected as very little research has been conducted on rough-and-tumble play to assist educators with making informed choices about managing rough-and-tumble play at their settings. Further, Educators often find themselves working in the field without having discussed rough-and-tumble play during their ECE training or with colleagues at work, and they are uncertain of how parents would react to seeing their child engaging in this type of play while
in care. However, for the Educators who are seeing rough-and-tumble play in their setting, understanding the value of the play may support discussions and understanding which will, in turn, support efforts to managing the play. Rough-and-tumble play holds value for young children in relation to their physical, social, and educational development. The physical benefits of energy release, exercise, and practice of motor skills might seem obvious but there are significant benefits in other developmental areas as well. Rough-and-tumble play holds a social dynamic which aids in the development of social competency as children learn about themselves and others. Children are learning about self-control, compassion when caring for another player, boundaries of what is acceptable in the play, limits to play, how to adapt their play to the abilities of others, and how to make judgments of their abilities in relation to other players. Rough-and-tumble play supports learning to cooperate, share, take turns, resolve conflicts, develop leadership skills, and to control impulses and aggressive behaviour. Educationally, rough-and-tumble play holds value as children experiment and take risks, practice skills, build self-confidence and self-esteem, improve their communication skills, and develop their ability to regulate their attention and persistence. Clearly rough-and-tumble play holds important learning opportunities for young children that need to be explored by Educators. Resourced from: http://www.ecebc.ca/resources/journal/2008spring/03.html

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD WARM UP AND COOL DOWN
Some stretches are designed to stretch muscles, and some are designed to move the joints through a full range of motion.

• During the warm up, it is important to follow up with stretches
  that move the joint through their full range of motion.
• Stretches such as arm circles and flexing and extending of
  arms and legs are helpful.

COOL DOWN
After physical activity, a cool-down period involving a gentler activity helps the heart and body to return to their normal state. Slow-moving activities and stretches also help normalize the blood flow to the muscles and improve flexibility. The cool-down activities concentrate on unhurried, slow stretching. Because the muscles are warm during stretches, the risk of injury is reduced. Stretches should include
all the major muscle groups, starting with the largest muscles. Each stretch should be held without bouncing for 15–30 seconds. Stretching should be imaginative and creative. Children can “reach for the sky”, or pretend to be a tree that is growing, or stretch their arms out as “wide as a wall”. The cool- down can also prepare children for the transition back to less-active activities.

• After physical activity, a cool-down period involving more gentle activity helps the heart and body to return to their
  normal state.
• Slow-moving activities and stretches also help normalize the blood flow to the muscles and improve flexibility.
• The cool-down can also prepare children for the transition back to less-active activities

From: Ontario Ministry of Education, Resource Guide, Daily Physical Activity in Schools: Sample Activities for Students, Grade 1 to 8, 2005