To Share or Not To Share?

To Share or Not To Share?



Telling the difference between personal items that should
not be shared and those things that are to be shared can be a
hard distinction for children to make.


What you'll need


Newspapers or magazines
Large pieces of paper
Glue
Red pen or marker
Scissors


What to do


1. Have your child collect pictures of a toothbrush, cup,
comb, hairbrush, and spoon or fork from newspapers or
magazines.

2. Ask your child to paste the pictures on a large piece of
paper.

3. With a red felt tip marker or pen, have your child put an
X or \ through each picture.

4. Title the poster, "Things I Do Not Share".

5. Have your child collect pictures of objects that he or she
does share. These can be pictures of toys, pets, and
books.

6. Use these pictures to make a poster with the title "Things
I Share".



Remind your children that disease is spread by the hands
and through the mouth, so they shouldn't share toothbrushes,
cups, spoons, or forks. head lice are spread by combs and
brushes. Working with your child to make the posters will help
you explain these points, while emphasizing that there are many
things we can share.



I Do It For Me



How can I take care of myself? Here is an activity that
will take advantage of your child's growing independence while
emphasizing healthful responsibility.


What you'll need


Paper
Marker or crayon



What to do


1. With your child, make a chart that lists healthful
responsibilities:

I take a bath.
I wear clean clothes.
I brush my teeth at least twice each day.
I wash my hair.
I wash my hands before eating.
I wash my hands after going to the bathroom.
I use my own brush or comb and don't let anyone else use
it.
I get plenty of sleep.

The list can include other items that you and your child
think should be on the list.

2. Make a box for each day of the week after each
responsibility.

3. Have your child check off the things done each day.

4. At the end of the week, write WOW over the
responsibilities or place a sticker over those completed
during the week.



It is important that children learn to take responsibility
for the care of their bodies. Having a chart helps them develop
self-reliance and helps to make life calmer for both of you.



Hold that Tiger!



Children love animals and they love to imitate. Combine
these two interests to inspire exercise.


What you'll need


Magazines or newspapers
Cardboard or paper
Paste or glue
Scissors
An open space in which to move





What to do


1. Collect pictures of different animals.

2. Paste each picture on a different piece of cardboard.

3. Place the cards face down on a table and mix them up.

4. Have your child select a card and turn the card over to
reveal the animal picture on the other side.

5. Have your child imitate the movements of the animal on the
card. For example:

rabbit hop
horse gallop
turtle crawl
elephant slow lumbering walk, clasp hands together and
swing arms side to side like a trunk.
frog leap
tiger fluid, smooth, sliding steps



These movements will help your child develop body
awareness, space awareness, and coordination.



Warm Up



Use one or more of the following exercises to have your
child warm up before doing more vigorous exercises.



All exercises have been adapted from Get Fit!, published
by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, 701
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 250, Washington, DC 20004.


What to do


1. Arm Circles. Stand tall with knees slightly bent. Rise on
your toes and slowly circle your arms inward and upward,
until arms are straight over head. Inhale deeply. Continue
circling your arms backward and downwards while lowering
your heels and exhaling. Do this exercise slowly and
smoothly. Repeat 5 times.

2. Swinging March. Stand up straight with feet shoulder-width
apart, hands at your sides. Alternate right and left arms
in forward circle motions. At the same time, lift your
opposite knee so that when the right arm is circling
forward the left knee is raised and vice versa. Do 10
complete circles with each arm and then switch arms to
swing backward. Repeat 10 full circles with each arm.

3. Pendulum Push. Stand straight with arms at your side. Step
to right, bending your right knee. Raise arms overhead and
push toward the ceiling. At the same time, rise on your
right toes and lift your left leg off the ground, keeping
all the weight on the right foot. Put your left leg back
on the ground, bending both knees and placing hands on
shoulders. Repeat to the left side. Repeat 10 times on
each side.

4. Jumping Jacks. Stand straight with feet together. Jump up
and land with your feet shoulder-width apart as you swing
arms to shoulder height. Jump back to starting position
while clapping your hands over your head. Jump up and land
with feet apart while bringing your arms back to shoulder
height. Jump back to starting position while lowering arms
to your sides. Repeat this 4-part jumping jack 10-20 times
at a slow, controlled pace.





Children should warm up their bodies for about five
minutes to get muscles and joints ready for action and to
prevent injury. They will be warmed up when they start to sweat
and breathe heavier.



Stretch



Muscles should be stretched after they've been warmed up.



What to do


1. Back Scratch Stretch. Have your child stand or sit to do
this exercise. Raise the right hand in the air with the
palm facing to the back. Bend the elbow and place the palm
of the hand on the back between the shoulders. Bring the
left hand behind the back to try to touch the right hand.
Hold 10-30 seconds. Repeat two times on each side. Do not
force the stretch.

2. Knee High Stretch. While standing, lift left knee toward
chest. Place left hand under knee and pull leg up to
stretch the back of leg and lower back. Keep the standing
leg slightly bent. Hold for 10-30 seconds. Repeat twice on
each side.

3. Thigh Stretch. Keeping body upright, grasp left foot
behind you with left hand. Slowly pull leg back so that
the knee moves away from your body until you feel a
stretch in the front of your leg. Hold 10-30 seconds.
Repeat twice with each leg.

4. Calf Stretch. With hands against a wall, put right
leg behind you. Keep right heel on the floor and very
slightly bend the right knee. Lean forward until you feel
a pull in your calf and behind your ankle. Hold 10-30
seconds. Repeat twice with each leg.







Stretching helps prevent muscles and joints from getting
injured. Stretching makes the body more flexible so your child
will be able to move easily. Stretching also helps your child
relax.


Run For It!



After you've warmed up and stretched, you're ready to run.


What to do


1. Beginner. Jog 2 minutes/walk 1 minute for a total of 15
minutes. Repeat. Do this at least three times a week.

2. Intermediate. Jog 4 minutes/walk 1 minute. Do this for
about 15-20 minutes at least three times a week. After
about two weeks, reduce the amount of walking to 30
seconds. Gradually build up to about 30 minutes using this
pattern.

3. Advanced. Continuously jog for 20 minutes. If you like
jogging, you can run for longer periods time.





Aerobic activities strengthen your child's heart and lungs
by requiring lots of oxygen and making the heart beat faster.
Walking, swimming, running, and dancing are examples of aerobic
exercises.


Keep Going!



These exercises will help your child build muscle strength
and endurance.


What to do


1. Push Ups. Get down on your hands and knees and position
yourself so that your back is straight, head in line with
your spine. Hands should be placed slightly outside your
shoulders, fingers pointed forward, feet on the ground.
Slowly lower your body until your chest touches the floor.
Return to starting position. Once you can do 20-25 push
ups with your knees bent, advance to the straight-leg
position on your hands and toes. Try to do 10 straight-leg
push ups at a time.

2. Curl Ups. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat
on the floor. Place your arms across your chest, hands on
opposite shoulders. Slowly curl your head, shoulders, and
upper back off the floor, bringing elbows to thighs.
Breathe out as you curl up and return to starting position
while breathing in. Repeat 10 times. You might find it
helpful to have someone hold your feet to the ground.







Curl Ups build strong stomach muscles, and Push Ups build
strong arm muscles.