Learn more and see the materials covered on the Physical Literacy Day at the Port Hope Library!
Physical Literacy for Children is:
- Fun
- Inclusive
- Motivation to move
- Provides Optimal Challenge
- Confidence
- Increases Health and Wellness
- Friendship
- Life Long Journey
- FUNdamental Movement Skills
- Opportunities in multiple environments
Books to Read
I.Q Gets Fit – Mary Ann Fraser
My Heart, and Lungs – Sally Hewitt The Busy Body Book – Lizz Rockwell Yoga Frog – Nora Carpenter
Get Up and Go! – Nancy Carlson
FUNdamental Movement Skills
Just like a child must learn the alphabet before they can read, children must learn the fundamental movement skills before they can play sport and games!
Knowing how to do all of the fundamental movement skills and being physically literate leads a child to enjoy a long life of physical activity!
24-Hour Movement Guidelines ParticipACTION
SWEAT = 60 min of medium to hard physical activity daily
STEP = several hrs (3-4) of light physical activity daily
SLEEP= 8-11 hr of sleep is required every night for children ages 5-17
SIT= No more than 2hr daily
Games We Played!
1. Monkey and Bananas
To start the game ask the children:
- What sound does a monkey make?
- Where does a monkey live?
- How does a monkey move?
- What does a monkey like to eat?
- Can you make a banana shape with your body?
Have the children run (hop, skip, bear crawl) around until you yell out:
- Monkey= children move and sound like a monkey
- Banana = children lay on their backs with feet and arms up (like a banana)
2. Red Light Green Light
- One child is it and will stand opposite end of the playing area.
- The child who is it will call out red light, yellow light or green light (or hold up pre-made signs with light directions)
- If the person who is it calls out:
- Red Light = bear crawl
- Yellow Light = high knees
- Green Light = run
3. Shark Attack
Materials needed:
- Hula hoop x 4 (or 1 hoop for every 3-5 children)
- Large open space to run, hop and jump! (outside preferably! )
To Start:
- Place hula hoops for each participant around the open activity space (or make clear that more than one person can be in a hula hoop at once)
- Encourage the kids to move through the ocean in different ways (Fish, jelly fish, shark, seal)
- Call “Shark Attack!” and have jump/ hop onto an island (hula hoop) for safety!
4. Scramble Hoop
Materials needed:
- Hula Hoops hanging from a tree
- Scrambled words on coloured paper that match the colour of the hula hoops
- Beanbags that match the colour of the scrambled words and hula hoops
To get started:
- Split the players into teams of 2-3
- Have each team try to unscramble the letters to spell a word
- Have the children match the colour of the unscrambled word to the beanbag + hula hoop
- The team must then try to throw the beanbag through the matching coloured hanging hoop