In our youth oriented culture, getting older tends to herald the decline of bodily functions and a wistful outlook, with memories of good times receding in the past. The silver lining of growing older, is that you get to witness how things turn out. In my case, I get to hear about the kids I […]
We are approaching the most heavily traveled season on the year. Along with the joys of visiting family and friends, we often struggle through traffic jams of mammoth proportions. Whether facing flying delays or miles of crawling traffic, when kids are in tow, the frustration and anxiety can multiply. No matter whether you take a […]
The Core gets a great workout when you crab walk. Activating all those muscles and joints also stimulates filters and organizing parts of the brain. So, when the kids start to get really excited about Halloween, grab a few pumpkins and challenge them to a crab walk race. Along with the positive brain organizing effects, […]
Come Join me in New York! The pages of this website are filled with ideas on how and why sensory motor play helps children learn, behave and generally lead healthier, happier lives. I am happy to announce that I will be giving a day long intensive workshop in NY this November at Bank Street College […]
Some folks LOVE GOOEY and others HATE GOOEY. I have a colleague who confessed that she wretches just looking at a worm. And yet the children at our community garden love worms. They search for them, hold them, stroke them and carry them around. A little girl placed several on her arm and tilted her […]
While May and June are packed with fun, the “To Do List” runs on and on. Graduations, birthdays, Father’s Day and the “End of the Year Gift” for EVERYONE. When you have one child this list might be manageable but multiply the offsprings by 2 or 4 active children and the list looks more like […]
May is a crazy month for most of us. End of school parties…projects…grading…barbecues…sports…the list goes on and on. And that’s just the START for a farmer. There are many tasks to accomplish and the calendar does not wait for a free day or nice weather. This past week, the school garden had a long list […]
I remember staying at my Nana’s all weekend while my parents had their “adult time…” I loved going because she let me climb into her bed to watch Lawrence Welk with a Seven-up ice-cream float. The show was pretty boring but to sip ice-cream from a straw in bed was divine. The thing is, she […]
Big, colorful exercise balls are a staple of gyms and therapeutic settings. Because of the dynamic nature of balls (they roll), more core work is required to stay on the ball. The muscles necessary for balancing get into the act. That’s why trainers and therapist have used them for years. Children like them because they […]
A nice way to get students re-energized, have fun and build critical foundation skills all at the same time is by introducing a simple balloon. Before you roll your eyes and click to a new site, consider what can happen with this inexpensive object when structured the right way. Benefits: Visual attention and visual tracking […]
A hundred years ago when I worked in hospitals I trudged around corridors hauling a large orange exercise ball. White lab coat and a giant ball. Keep in mind this was pre Pilates. The word “core” referred to apples, not human anatomy. So you, readers, are way ahead of my colleagues accustomed to seeing spectacles, […]