| Winter Wonderland
Holidays are a time for busyness and it is easy to forget about physical
fitness. In the following article, I would like to highlight some creative
ideas for getting kids active during this insane holiday season. I would
like to separate these with three sections. First I will highlight low
activity games, then medium activity games and last of all high activity
games. This month I will discuss low energy games.
Pass the Snowball (Low Energy)
Materials:
White ball
Christmas or winter music
This game is like hot potato. Take an ornament and pass it around a circle
of children. The game continues until the music stops. That child with the
ornament in his/her hand is out. Do not allow children to be out more than
one turn. Allow them back into the game.
Pin the Nose on Rudolph (Low Energy Activity)
Supplies:
Reindeer picture
Blindfold
Red noses
This is a take on 'pin the tail on the donkey'. Put a picture of a nose-
less Rudolf on the wall, blindfold the students, spin them around, and see
if they can pin a red nose in the right place.
Snowman Says (Low Energy Activity)
Same as 'Simon Says': The student up is the Snowman . Snowman
says, "Snowman says hop.” All students hop. Snowman says, "Stop.”
Students should continue hopping on until "Snowman" says, "Snowman says
stop.” Repeat for other actions such as jump, run, turn around, sit down,
stand up, hands up/down, star jump, etc.).
Las Posada Limbo (Low Energy Activity)
Supplies:
Pool Noodle with garland
Based on the classic beach game of "limbo.” The student that can go the
lowest wins!
Blanket Blizzard (Low Energy Activity)
Supplies
Chute
Plastic Peanuts
Have the children stand and hold the parachute. Add a few pieces of
Styrofoam peanuts and shake them in the air so they seem like snow floating
from the sky and onto the parachute. Continue to add peanuts and make a
blizzard of snow as you continue to fill the parachute.
Jingle Jam (Low Energy Activity)
Supplies:
Chute
Jingle Bells
Give each child several bells. Toss them unto the chute and sing, “Jingle
Bells as they jerk and chute in rhythm to the song. Sing again and wave the
chute in shallow ripples. How do the bells sound?
Da Wrapper (Low Energy Activity)
Supplies:
Chute
Various small toys
Sit around the chute. Give each child a small toy. Have each child hold it
up and tell what it is. Everyone cover his or her eyes. Tap a child who
has a gift on the head. That child should wrap his toy under the
parachute. Everyone uncover their eyes and see if they can remember what
gift just was wrapped up. Let the child unwrap his toy so everyone can see
it.
Solving the Sleigh Mystery (Low Energy Activity)
Supplies: Snowman sleigh
Have children sit in a large circle and blindfold one child. Another child
will be given the sleigh and must say:
Snowman, Snowman, where is your sleigh
someone is come and taken it away
Guess who Guess who?
The student who finds it first gets to be it for the next round.
Mitten Mates (Low Energy Activity Game)
Supplies:
Chute
Pairs of mittens
Have the children sit around the chute. Give each child a mitten from one
of the pairs and put it on the parachute. Have them spread the mittens
around the chute. Lower the chute. Have the children count to three and
then throw the parachute up into a mushroom shape. Raise the chute. .
Lower the chute. Play repeatedly until everyone has found his mitten
mates. So instead of helping yourself to the second serving get active and
get into fitness with your kids.
Holiday Wonderland Part 2
Last month I discussed some ideas for getting kids active and interested in
fitness. Here are some more ideas for getting kids busy and occupied during
the holiday season.
Cabin Fever Core Circuit ( Medium Energy Activity)
Materials:
Christmas or winter music
Sometimes it is great to divide kids into various stations and have them
exercise working on various fitness components for 20-90 seconds depending
on the interest and ability levels of each group. Examples:
Cardiovascular Endurance: Jump rope
Muscular Strength (upper body): Push-ups
Muscular Strength (abdominal): Partial curl ups
Flexibility: Sit to Reach Your Toes
Muscular Endurance: Rope Climbing in the air
Shoppers Nightmare (Medium Energy Activity)
Supplies:
Parachute
Various soft toys
Bags
Place toys on the chute. Wave it in the air and students go get the toys
once they have been lifted off the chute. The child who collects the most
toys in a bag or specific area wins!
Jingle Jump (Medium Energy Activity)
Materials: Jump ropes
Twist Ties or string
Jingle bells
Students jump with the jingle bells tied with twist ties or string to the
jump ropes. Sing a winter song such as “Jingle Bells” as the students jump
with the rope.
Trim the Tree (Medium Energy Activity)
Materials:
Ringer
(Optional ) Picture of tree on ringer
Clear tape
Rings
Take a ringer and place a picture of a tree on the front of it. Set the
ringer in the station area. Place a tapeline on the floor about five to
seven feet away form the cone. Students stand on the tapeline and toss
three rings onto the cone five out of seven times.
Three-Legged Stocking Race (Medium Energy Game)
Supplies: Oversized stocking that will fit two feet
Tape to mark finish line
Pair up kids and have each pair put a leg in the oversized stocking and tie
at top so that it will not fall off. Make sure you have plenty of space.
Put all the pairs at one end and mark a finish line at the other. On your
mark, the kids race to be the first pair over the line.
Frosty Snowball Toss (Medium Energy Game)
Supplies:
Large cardboard with Frosty drawn on one side.
Whiffle Balls
Paper box lid to hold snowballs
Tape to mark distance line
How to Play: Place cardboard Frosty a little distance from a wall with a
paper box lid on floor to catch snowballs. Mark your distance line
according to age and skill of children. Line children up behind the line
and place a bucket of whiffle balls beside them. Give each child three
tries to get their whiffle snowball through the hole. Get all three
whiffle snowballs in and earn a snowball reward.
Rush Relay Races (Medium Energy Activities)
Equipment: (1 per group) scooter,
Jump rope,
Hula-hoops
Several beanbags
Tossing items
Bowls or buckets
Two rackets/group
Small playground ball
Students are grouped into four- five groups of four. The relays include:
Snowfall Race
Have two students in each group pair up. One student lies on their chest on
the scooter and holds on to the sides of the scooter for security. The
other student grabs their feet and pushes them down around their specified
cone and back. Then the next set of two goes.
Silly Sled Race
Students again pair up within their group. This time, one of the students
sits on the scooter and the other stands up facing them. The partner on the
scooter grabs both ends of the jump rope, while the other one holds the
middle. The students must "drive" down around the cone and back. Repeat
twice.
Frustration Freeze Race
Every student in each group is given a beanbag. Across the gym, there is a
set of dome dishes (bowls) for each group that they must place the beanbags
into. The students keep running up and placing the beanbags into the bowls
until the signal is given. The only catch, however, is that students are
not allowed to use their hands. It is interesting to see the different ways
they come up with.
Wild Winter Run Race
Each group is given two rackets and a playground ball. The first and second
person in each line has a racket. The first person must balance the
playground ball down around their cone and back, and then pass the ball on
to the second person in line holding a racket. The first person then passes
their racket on to the third and goes to the end of the line, etc. If any
student in the group drops the ball, they must return to the beginning of
the line immediately, and start again. So get off the couch and into
fitness by getting in to Medium energy games.
Winter Wonderland Part Three
This is the third part of a series on games to play during this winter
season with children. As you play these high energy games with children
please remember to make sure that you have plenty of space inside or outside
and that children fully understand the rules of the games.
Christmas Signals ( High Energy)
With a partner do the following actions.
Reindeer
Gallop around the area holding hands.
Snowman
Lie facedown. Roll back and forth on your tummy shouting HO, HO, and HO.
Christmas tree
Stand tall, hands outstretches overhead.
Christmas Ball
Roll up in a little ball on the floor and roll sideways
Candy Cane
Form the shape of a candy cane on the floor
Toy Soldier
Make like a toy soldier marching in a row
Choo Choo Train
Act like a train and chug loudly.
Spinning Top
Act like a spinning top and spin, spin, spin
Angel
Flap your wings and run around like an angel
Wiseman
Search for the Christ child as you skip from place to place.
Snowball Bowling (Medium Activity)
Materials:
Beanbags
Bowling Pins or Plastic bottles
Set the bowling pins in a triangle formation. Placed a tape mark on the
floor five to seven feet away and lay the beanbags on the tape mark.
Student should try to knock at least four bowling pins three out of five
times.
Cheap Skate (High Energy Activity)
Take two shoeboxes or quart milk cartons and create a smooth skating
atmosphere for your child Allow your child to skate using the boxes or
cartons. You can also make it into a relay/race by having two students race
against each other from a designated starting and finishing line.
Candy Cane Hockey ( High Energy Activity)
Supplies:
Pool Noodle wrapped to look like a candy cane
Small light balls
Put a hockey or makeshift goal next to a wall. Place a tapeline about ten
feet from the goal. Students will try to put the puck into the hockey goal
by moving the small balls three to five times.
Reindeer Run (High Energy Activities)
Students jog around the gym wearing reindeer antlered or making the antlers
with their hands. The first student that makes a lap wins!
Christmas stocking Relay (High Energy)
Supplies:
One stocking for each team
One spoon for each team
One bowl for each team
Plastic egg
Divide into teams. Have each team line up at one end of the room. At the
other end, hang a Christmas stocking for each team. Place a bowl of pretend
candy (plastic eggs) and a spoon in front of each team. Each team member
takes a turn carrying an egg from the bowl with the spoon across the room to
the stocking. They drop the egg in the stocking and race back to the next
person in line and give them the spoon. First team to fill the stocking
wins.
Frosty Freeze (High Energy)
Supplies: Christmas music
Begin playing music and have everyone move and dance until the music stops
then they must "freeze" in whatever position they happen to be in. Get into
the groove this new year and get into fitness!
Christmas References
A Kid’s Heart
http://akidsheart.com/holidays/christms/chgames.htm
Beenleigs State School
http://www.beenleigss.qld.edu.au/Christmas/christmas.html
Burk, Maggie C. Station Games. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2002
Child fun Christmas
http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=220
Kid’s Domain
http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=220
Landry, Joanne M. and Landry, Maxwell J. Ready-to-Use P.E. Activities for
Grades1-2. n.l.: Parker Publishing, 1992.
Landry, Joanne M. and Landry, Maxwell J. Ready-to-Use P.E. Activities for
Grades1 3-4. n.l.: Parker Publishing, 1992.
McCall, Renee M. and Craft, Diane H. Purposeful Play. Champaign, IL: Human
Kinetics, 2004.
PE Links4 You
http://www.pelinks4u.org/archives/120103.htm
Physical Education Lessons Page
http://members.tripod.com/~pazz/lesson.html
Pitts School
http://www.pittschools.org/aes/PE-LP59.HTM
Wilmes, Liz, and Dick. Parachute Play. Elgin, IL: Building Blocks, 2000.
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