Get Active to Learn

• Have your child run outside for as far as they can screaming until they need to take a breath. Then they stop and hold their position – make it a game.  Measure the distance.  We did this – they know what to do.
• Get your child to try to work out when a minute is up – or two minutes – without a watch… they will soon be very silent as they think.
• Cut out a box, and get them to present the news – good news.
• Get them to keep a journal/diary
  
• Make a mess – outside with mud, or flour.
  
• Find the smallest leaf in the garden; find the biggest leaf in the garden
• Play Simon Says – make it Simone!
• Learn origame
• Learn French knitting – more finger knitting is on its way!
• Learn to crochet
  
• Create a domino run – where they have to push one over to hit the next, etc.
• Give them a blanket and tell them to build a fort.
• Give them a competition – see how long they can sit inside a hoop
  
• Get them a jigsaw puzzle – where they have a set time only… so it lasts.
• Use an egg timer to settle them… then say they have to focus for two egg timer turn-arounds… three…
• Play cards – teach them a card game – like Concentration
• Get them to do chores and every time they do you fill up a jar with a teaspoon of popcorn.  When the jar is full, you have a popcorn party.  Don’t be afraid to take some away if they are not behaving.
• Get them to paint a pet rock
• Teach them to press flowers
• Build a box trap to catch a crow – don’t worry, crows are very smart
• Build the tallest tower out of a pile of newspaper
• Dance as a family – stupid dancing.  Show your kids you can still have fun.  Be silly.
  
• Teach them how to stand on their head
• Learn to play yo-yo
• Learn to play diablo
• Learn to play elastics
• Make a pom-pom

VERTICAL JUMP

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Eyes focused forward or upward throughout the jump.
2. Crouches with knees bent and arms behind the body.
3. Forceful forward and upward swing of the arms.
4. Legs straighten in the air.
5. Lands on balls of the feet and bernfds knees to absorb landing.
6. Controlled landing with no more than one step in any direction.

 TEACHING CUES

• Look up

• Focus your eyes on where you want to go
• Get ready to explode up high, get ready to take off
• Swing your arms back and up
• Straighten your legs when in the air
• Bend your knees on landing
• Control your body and balance yourself when landing
• Land with feet the width of your shoulders apart

STATIC BALANCE

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Support leg still, foot flat on the ground.
2. Non-support leg bent, not touching the support leg.
3. Head stable, eyes focused forward.
4. Trunk stable and upright.
5. No excessive arm movements.

 TEACHING CUES

• Stand still with your foot flat on the ground.
• Hold you bent leg away from your other leg.
• Look at something in front of you
• Stand up tall when you balance.
• Relax your arms.

DODGE

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Changes direction by bending knee and pushing off the outside foot.
2. Change of direction occurs in one step.
3. Body lowered during change of direction or in the direction of travel.
4. Eyes focused forward.
5. Dodge repeated equally well on both sides.

 TEACHING CUES

• Look straight ahead.
• Use the outside of your foot.
• Lower body height down and then up when changing direction.
• Use you knees to change direction.
• Lower body height and transfer body weight.

SKIP

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Shows a rhythmical step-hop.
2. Lands on ball of the foot.
3. Knee of support leg bends to prepare for hop.
4. Head and trunk stable, eyes focused forward.
5. Arms relaxed and swing in opposition to legs.

 TEACHING CUES

• Use light springing steps.
• Keep eyes straight ahead.
• Step, hop, step, hop.
• Take off and land on the front of your foot.
• Make sure your body faces to the front.

HOP

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Support leg bends on landing, then straightens to push off.
2. Lands and pushes off on the ball of the foot.
3. Non-support leg bent and swings in rhythm with the support leg.
4. head stable, eyes focused forward throughout the jump.
5. Arms bent and swing forward as support leg pushes off.

 TEACHING CUES

• Bend your leg to push off.
• Land on the ball of your foot.
• Find your rhythm.
• Look ahead, with head and eyes level.
• Use your arms for balance.

LEAP

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Eyes focused forward throughout the leap.
2. Knee of take-off leg bends.
3. Legs straighten during flight.
4. Arms held in opposition to the legs.
5. Trunk leans slightly forward.
6. Lands on ball of the foot and bends knee to absorb landing.

 TEACHING CUES

• Look straight ahead.
• Bend knee to take off.
• Scissor legs.
• Stretch your arms out.
• Lean into the leap.
• Land softly.

TWO-HAND STRIKE

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Stands side-on to target area.
2. Eyes focused on the ball throughout the strike.
3. Hands next to each other, bottom hand matches the front foot.
4. Steps towards target area with front foot.
5. Hips then shoulders rotate forward.
6. Ball contact made on front foot with straight arms.
7. Follows through with bat around the body.

 TEACHING CUES

• Stand side-on.
• Keep your eyes on the ball.
• Position your hands so they match your feet.
• Use big swing.
• Contact the ball with straight arms.
• Swing and follow through.

CATCH

SKILL COMPONENTS

1. Eyes focused on the object throughout the catch.
2. Hands move to meet the object.
3. Hands and fingers relaxed and slightly cupped to catch the object.
4. Catches and controls the object with hands only (well-timed closure).
5. Elbows bend to absorb the force of the object.

 TEACHING CUES

• Watch the object move into your hands.
• Cup your hands.
• Move to the ball.
• Relax your hands.
• Point your fingers up for a high ball – with thumbs together.
• Point your fingers down for a low ball – with little fingers touching together.
• Bend elbows to absorb the force of the object.