Spotlight
Barb Sinner, Barb’s Daycare, West Fargo, ND
The Problem
Barb has two goals: 1) to give the children in her care lots of time for movement and play, and 2) to prepare them for kindergarten. Can she do both well?
The Solution
Yes, by adopting a preschool program that marries learning and movement.
How She Did It
Every day Barb populates the preschool schedule with learning activities that involve movement. When the children recite the ABC’s, they perform a different action for each letter. And when they count to 100, the class stops after every 10 numbers to do an exercise. There are songs (with movement) for each of the colors. And so on.
Barb has found that not only are the children getting a lot of exercise, they’re learning. By seeing, saying, and hearing letters, sounds, numbers, and colors the children learn them very quickly. Plus, after a movement activity, the children are more ready to focus on tabletop activities.
Exercise is such an integral part of the preschool day, and the children enjoy it so thoroughly, that they now initiate movement activities of their own. According to Barb, “They create their own follow-the-leader activities and are always thinking of fun things to do.”
The Results
Barb says that the children are learning, and they don’t even realize they’re getting in exercise at the same time. The day flies by for her and for the children as well.
On Barb’s Wish List
More songs, music, and toys that can be used to create more choices.
