I recently posted this to my Business FaceBook account Please read to the end to see Just how this game can change the life a a child in this day and age.
Do You want to Fight or be Friends?
This question is a total flashback to my childhood days when my dad would ask us that question right before some time of roughhousing.
Fast forward 50 years and it became a game that I would play with the children when I ventured into the older preschool rooms.
So how do you play?
You gather the children around and you put up your firsts, you sway your bottom back and forth, shake your knees, pump your elbows in and out, and you all laugh. You can not do all that without laughing. It is a great way to start a game.
Then you ask the all-important question, "Do You Want to Fight or Be Friends?"
Now, of course, we are always friends first. So everyone comes in for a group hug, you kiss the top of as many heads as you can reach, then move back out for our silly little stats, and you ask the question again.
This time everyone screams, "Fight!"
Then the craziness begins. The leader, that's you, starts to chase all the little ones around for a soft touch to the body or to the fastest and hardest to catch a big hug and a laugh.
Then the leader calls everyone back and it starts all over again.
Why am I tell you about this silly game and what does it have to do with being a parent? Good question, let's break down what is happening here.
First, it is a group game. Something that we don't see played in our schools or family times often. A benefit of a group game is that it builds community and teamwork.
Second, the group hug at the beginning of each game is a calm down moment. It forces the players to regroup and bring their bodies back under control. It is a perfect way for these little ones to learn how to turn their movements off quickly. This is an important skill for children to learn.
Third, this is a time for the little ones to get some appropriate physical touch (APT). I can not begin to explain the benefits of physical touch to a human. This is a need of every person. It reduces stress and calms the mind. This APT greatly benefits a child who is rascally, for they often don't get the APT they need, but here they can feel a sense of success and acceptance.
Forth, and one of the most fun, is watching the children dive, weave, roll, zig-zag, and sprint during the chase. These children are practicing their maneuverability skills which will aid them in sports. They are also using up their excess energy in a productive way.
There is one more thing about this game. It is a sad state of affairs that we have active shooters in so many places. God forbid that our children would face such a terror, but this silly little game that makes them laugh, holler, use up energy, builds friendships, gain self-control, and maneuverability could someday save their lives.
If this post was thought-provoking or made you a smile, please share it on your timeline.
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Christine Luna
Newborn Specialist
Parenting Coach
Only Happy Noises.llc
Painesville. OH
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-19-2019 12:00 AM
From: Nicole Schiffmacher
Subject: Using movement purposefully during the school day
Hello!
I am creating a planning resource for teachers to use movement purposefully during the school day. The plan includes
identifying routine times of the day when students need to energize, calm or focus, identifying the goals of movement and
matching specific movement activities to these routine times.
Do you utilize movement activities in a purposeful way to manage students' behavior during transitions or other times? If so, how? Would a planning tool be helpful for you to create movement routines to improve students' ability to focus on a sustained task or transition easily from one task to another?
Thanks for your input!
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Dr. Nicole Schiffmacher, PT, DPT, MS
Board Certified Pediatric Clinical Specialist Physical Therapist
Creator: TriumphInMotion.com -a site for information about the connections between movement and learning.
Lecturer: Infant/Toddler Master's in Special Education Program
St. Joseph's College, Long Island
New York
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