Today’s theme for our daily challenges will be ‘Physical’. Some of the activities have been taken from ‘Startwell’ which is an award we are currently working towards within the nursery.
1. Tummy time is extremely important for young babies and it is recommended that babies have around 30 minutes of tummy time a day. Can you send us some photos of your babies daily tummy time? You could lie them on a big sheet of foil and place a range of their toys around them, which will encourage them to reach for them. Alternatively, you can share some stories during tummy time.
2. Can you create an obstacle course? Indoors or outdoors! Use a variety of different objects to encourage your child to move in as many ways as possible. With older children, this could be timed. Can they become faster each time? Get creative! We would love to see photos/videos.
3. Explore the movement of different animals – shout out an animal and encourage your child to move like them; slither like a snake, stamp like an elephant, hop like a frog etc. Join in with your child! You could create some flashcards with your child with each animal on. Pick one at a time and explore the movements they make.
4. Explore a variety of fruit/vegetables with your child through printing in paint. Discuss the names, colours, textures of each.
5. Have a go at creating a ‘healthy eating’ plate craft with your child. Use a paper plate or a cut out circle of paper. Talk through different foods that they enjoy and use creative resources, paint and crayons to create representations of each one.
6. Make some playdough (this is great for supporting fine motor skills which help in improving pre-writing skills). Use the playdough to ‘roll’, ‘push’, ‘poke’, ‘stretch’ etc. You could then use the playdough to make representations of favourite foods, discussing healthy and unhealthy.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/playdough-recipe
7. Can you make your own healthy snack and send in some photos of what you have made? Try and use as many different coloured foods as possible.
8. Create a target and encourage your child to roll/throw/kick a ball to reach the target. You could introduce numbers, shapes, colours etc. and encourage them to follow instructions. “Can you throw the ball to number 4?” “Can you roll the ball to the Triangle?”
9. Some simple activities you could do that support physical development in young children:
– Pouring and Filling in water/sand/sensory materials
– Dancing
– Making marks; drawing, painting, colouring
– Building towers
– Bikes/Scooters
– Push/Pull toys for younger children
– Shape sorters/Puzzles