Parachutes and Bowling

Gross motor breaks and gym activities are an important part of our day at STA. In addition to burning up some of the energy they provide great learning opportunities and allow us to target a variety of developmental goals at once. One of our favourite Kids Club gym activities is the parachute. Playing with our parachute is a great way for the kiddos to practice following instructions. We shake it fast, shake it slow, hold it up really high, and hold it down really low. Sometimes we move around to find different colours, or take turns sitting in the middle and being all wrapped up. We sing songs and play Row, Row, Row Your Boat. It really is such a diverse and colourful way to learn through group activities.



Handles make for great practice gripping!



Adding leaves (or balls, shapes, and toys) let us bring our current themes into the gym



Running underneath the parachute as it comes down is always a hit!

The teachers here work closely with the Occupational Therapists to come up with some specific skills to target in the gym and this month we're working on bowling.

For our program bowling is so much more than knocking down pins. From a physical perspective; bowling allows the kiddos to develop strength, coordination, and balance all while working on ball skills that can be used in so many other games. It is a great opportunity for them to interact socially as they can invite friends to play with them and practice taking turns and waiting. And, as teachers, we always find an opportunity to talk about shapes, colours, and numbers. Who knew bowling could be so diverse?!