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Home › Articles › Activities › It's a Carnival!

It's a Carnival!

Outside Fun That Promotes
Motor Skills

By Rae Pica, Children's Movement Specialist

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Jumping
Jumping is great for promoting muscular strength and muscular endurance, two of the five health-related fitness factors. And, if it's practiced continually, it can additionally benefit cardiovascular endurance!

A jump involves a two-footed takeoff and landing, and small children especially enjoy jumping off or over things. One possibility is to place your little one on the bottom of a set of steps or on the edge of a low sandbox or curb and stand facing her. Hold out your arms and encourage her to jump. Repeat the process as long as she stays interested. When she's ready for something a bit higher, use a sturdy plastic crate or something similar.

For practice with jumping over, place a jump rope on the ground and encourage your child to imagine it's a river he has to get across. Or, for a greater challenge, try a narrow plank.

Balancing
Balance, of course, is essential to movement skills, whether they're used for the practical (like walking) or the artistic or athletic (like dancing or playing sports). Balances occurring in a stationary position, such as standing on one foot, are known as static balances; maintaining balance while moving (for example, walking along a balance beam) is called dynamic balance.

You can make a game of the first by placing a platform on the ground and inviting your child to imagine she's a circus acrobat. Stand on the platform facing her, holding her hands, and rise onto tiptoe. How long can you stay steady? Count out loud to find out! Then challenge her to try balancing on different body parts at both high and low levels. Can she balance on two feet on tiptoes by herself? How about on two hands and two knees? On one hand and one knee?

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