The BODY SMART Blog

Read & Move #2: The Tiny Seed

23rd February, 2011 - Posted by - 2 Comments

Looking for great book to read with your kids as winter changes to spring?  Try The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle, which will delight adults and children alike.

Why not add some active play into the mix?

• Pretend to be seeds. Have the children curl up in a tight ball on the floor, then POP! open. Create a body movement for each stage of the flower’s life cycle.
• Go on a seed hunt hike. Walk around your center or neighborhood, searching for seeds. Give the children magnifying glasses to help them look. No seeds — no problem! The fun is in the hunt, and there will lots of natural items to discover. Buy a few packets of seeds at a discount store to start in a windowsill.
• Work on fine motor and cutting skills — make paper flowers and create a beautiful garden on a classroom or bedroom wall.
• Have children draw flowers paper plates and then put them on the ground in different pathways.Have fun following the flower trail using different speeds and creating different pathways (zig-zags, curves, etc.). Try it up on tip-toes! Turn the tables and let the children set-up a flower trail for you to follow.
• Using only two (2) colors of flowers, set up A-B patterns on the floor. (Ex: Red ->Yellow -> Red ->Yellow or Red -> Red ->Red -> Yellow -> Yellow.) Pick a different movement skill for each color (ex: hopping, bending or jumping), and complete the movement flower pattern.
• Start planning a garden with your children. You can work on math, science, language and creative arts, and nutrition in a garden. Plus, it’s a great place to play and dream, which children need the opportunity to do a lot of!

What other ideas can you think of? We would love to hear about them!

Playfully yours, Bethe

This post is part of the We Play Fun at Childhood 101.

Bethe Almeras, MS, is the HSBS Education & Outreach Director. A long time educator and play advocate, she is passionate about outdoor play and connecting children with nature. In her free time Bethe writes a blog, The Grass Stain Guru, and can often be found playing outside. She is particularly fond of squirrels. And turtles. And sandpipers. And…

At top: photo credit: ciccioetneo :: ON & OFF