Muscle Moving

Puzzle Run

Supplies:

• A shape sorter set or a puzzle your child can confidently put together
• A sensory bin – could be a cardboard box filled with shredded paper or tissue paper, a plastic container with a couple of inches of water (if your shape sorter can handle getting wet), or a container of pompoms

Prep:

• Place all the shapes or puzzle pieces in the sensory bin.
• Place the sensory bin at child-accessible height on one side of the room, place the shape sorter or puzzle backing on the other side.

Time to Play:

• Show your child how to find one piece in the sensory bin, then run across the room to insert it in the shape sorter or puzzle.
• Encourage your child to try.
• Cheer your child on and join your child in running back and forth.

Brain Boosting

Build Your Own Shapes

Supplies:

• Playdough

Time to Play:

• Sit at the table with your child. Give some playdough to your child and keep some for yourself to use.
• Engage with your child and talk about what each of you is doing.
• Mention that you would like to make some shapes, then talk aloud as you work. For example, “I am going to make a shape with four sides. I want all the sides to be the same length. There! What shape did I make?”
• Depending on what your child already knows, adjust what you are making so they can confidently answer some of your questions, but also include new shapes or concepts.
  • Basic shapes:
    • Circle
    • Square
    • Triangle
    • Rectangle
    • Heart
    • Star
    • Oval
  • Advanced shapes:
    • Pentagon
    • Trapezoid
    • Hexagon
    • Octagon
    • Cone
    • Cube
    • Pyramid
  • Basic Concepts
    • Same / Different
    • Bigger / Smaller
    • Colours
  • Advanced Concepts
    • Counting 1-10
    • Big / Medium / Small
    • On / Under / Beside

Let’s Wiggle

Can’t Catch Me

Prep:

• Clear your area of obstacles to enable safe running around.

Time to Play:

• Tell your child that you are going to play the “Catch Me” game. Encourage them to run away while you run to catch them.
• Based on your child’s interest level, run and catch them several times.
• Then change things up. Explain that you are going to run away and it is their turn to catch you. Be sure not to run away too fast.
• Play several rounds of them catching you.
• For older children, once your child has caught the hang of both ways to play, consider taking turns back and forth: “First you run away, then it is my turn to run away.”

Let’s Explore

Roll the Ball

Supplies:

• 1 medium-large light ball per two or three people
  • Alternatively consider using a bean bag or a toy car that rolls well

Prep:

• Clear an area to sit on the floor facing each other with no obstacles in between.

Time to Play:

• Have both you and your child sit on the floor facing each other. Sit with your legs straight in front of you spread into a “V” shape. To begin with, sit with your feet nearly touching your child’s feet.
• Explain to your child that you are going to pass the ball to each other.
• Gently roll the ball to your child. Encourage them to catch it.
• Encourage your child to roll the ball back to you.
• Continue rolling the ball back and forth from one person to the other.
• For added challenge, increase the distance between you or consider bouncing the ball to each other.
• This game is suited for older 1 year olds. Remember that sharing and passing are new skills for your child so laugh and make this a fun game even if your child is reluctant to pass the ball back. If it just doesn’t work, consider playing again in a few weeks.
• In a classroom setting, pair two children per ball and encourage them to pass to each other.

Let’s Wiggle

Can You Find…

Prep:

• If needed, clear your hallway so that it is safe for you and your child to run through.

Time to Play:

• Tell your child you are going to play a game. Be excited.
• Explain that you will tell them which room to find and then they need to run and find it.
• Start with the easy rooms such as:
  • “Can you find the bathroom?”
  • “Run to the kitchen!”
• As your child catches onto the game, choose rooms or furniture they have to think about to find.
  • “Can you find the white bookshelf? It’s somewhere upstairs.”
  • “Run to the big couch.”
• Optional: For more advanced children, add to the fun by including movement instructions.
  • “Can you crawl to the bedroom?”
  • “Now take big steps to the living room.”

Let’s Explore

Home-Made Puzzle

Supplies:

• A file folder, or a sheet of cardboard, cardstock or other stiff paper.
• A marker or pen
• Several familiar household items or small toys. Be sure they have unique shapes. Consider:
  • A tablespoon
  • A soup ladle
  • A clothes pin
  • A measuring cup
  • A role of masking tape
  • A block
  • A toy car
  • A toy animal
  • A teething toy
  • A rattle
  • A plastic chain link

Prep:

• Lay the sheet of paper flat. Position several items/toys on top of it. Once satisfied with their positions, trace each item creating outlines.
• Place the items/toys nearby.

Time to Play:

• Show your child the sheet of paper with all the outlines on it.
• Model how to match an item to its outline.
• Encourage your child to try. Be excited when they match an item correctly.