It is widely acknowledged that music is an important part of a balanced education for children and can help improve numeracy and literacy. The simple and fun act of singing with your child will build language and early literacy skills

Also, the ability to feel, express and keep a steady beat (a consistent, repetitive pulse) is an important prerequisite for language development as it affects speech flow, attention span, motor skills and reading comprehension. There’s no better way to learn about a steady beat than through rhyme or song. Hap Palmer’s One Little Sound Fun with Phonics and Numbers is a fun, musical way for children to learn about phonics, reading, writing, and mathematics. Hap Palmer is a pioneer in the integration of early childhood music and movement. Palmer’s songs enhance the development of motor skills, language acquisition, reading readiness, and math concepts. Palmer has won a slew of awards for his music including the coveted Parents’ Choice Award and gongs from the American Library Association and the National Association of Parent Publications.

Another title from Hap Palmer is Two Little Sounds – original compositions and unique adaptations of traditional favourites like “Hickory, Dickory, Dock”, “Ten Monkeys in a Tree”, “How Many are Here?” and “Tall Tremendous Tens And Wee Wonderful Ones”. These songs stimulate learning through active involvement by encouraging children to listen, think, move, and sing. This CD is ideal for ages 4-9.

Leaping Literacy! (Rhythm Sticks, Ribbons and Games for Reading Readiness) is aimed at kids Aged 4-8 and uses rhythm and movement as tools to reinforce basic literacy foundations. Popular children’s singer, Don Monopoli sings the 16 tracks on this title.  Monopoli is part of the trio The Learning Station who has over 27 music CDs and a philosophy of “healthy music for a child’s heart, body and mind”.

Literacy in Motion (Music & Movement with the Learning Station) is a CD where your kids can dance along to songs based in children’s classic books like Where the Wild Things Are, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. This CD has 20 interactive songs, dances and activities from the trio The Learning Station that are designed to motivate children to read and foster a lifelong love for reading.

Rockin’ Reading Readiness by Dr Pam Schiller and Ronno is aimed at inspiring children to learn literacy concepts from rocking’, energetic music. Skills covered on this title include oral language (sentence structure, vocabulary building, listening), phonological awareness (alliteration, onomatopoeia, rhyming words), letter awareness and word families. Dr Schiller is expert in early childhood having been a childcare administrator, kindergarten teacher and Head of the Early Childhood Department at the University of Houston. Ronno, who teams up with Dr Schiller and sings the songs on this CD, is a Canadian-born and internationally renowned children’s performer.

Laugh ‘N Learn Silly Songs will have your children rolling with laughter while they sing and dance along with familiar and original tunes. This title is another from Dr Pam Schiller, who believes Laughter helps children with memory and alertness, which makes learning easier.  The CD also includes an accompanying guide to help parents, teachers and librarians use the music. The guide includes brain information, lyrics and activities for every song.

So, what are you waiting for? Check out our resources that combine words and numbers with music fun!

By Christina Chapan

Incorporating the use of beanbags in physical movement programs provides several advantages:
►Beanbags are relatively inexpensive to make or to buy.
►You can easily make a set using sturdy material. Fill with rice, beans, or shells
►Beanbags take little space and can be stored anywhere.
►Beanbags are appealing to all age and ability levels.
►Grownups, including senior citizens, find beanbags non-threatening to use in a physical fitness setting.
►Use of the beanbag prepares students for participating in such sports as soccer, football, bowling, or basketball when they get older.
►Beanbags are relatively safe to use (although use of them should be monitored).
►Beanbags teach self-control, coordination, direction, and manipulation of the body. When using beanbags, focus on eye, hand, and leg coordination. Special needs students will benefit with repeated practice using beanbags.
►Beanbags teach directionality when throwing and catching. You can teach the concepts of throwing and catching front, back, side, left, and right using the beanbag.
►Children learn to throw to others and catch.
►Levels of catching and throwing are also discovered.
►Learning to work with others is an important skill.
Beanbag practice should begin with free play. Ask children to share their creative ideas for making up different games with the beanbags. Then have the children throw the beanbag up in the air and catch it. Have them advance to working with partners, throwing the beanbag to each other. Stress the importance of throwing softly to your neighbor, and catching the beanbag with your eye on the bag at chest level.

Additional Activities:

►Toss with both hands. Then alternate left hand and right hand. Next, catch and throw using different hands.
►Throw the bag low, high, and to the middle. Ask the children how they would feel if you did not tell them where you were throwing the beanbag.
►Try different grips using the beanbag. Use palms up, and then palms down. Have children catch with just an open hand.
►Children can also kneel, stand, and lie down when catching the beanbag. 

Advanced skills:
►Throw the beanbag overhead, to the rear, turn around and catch the beanbag. Try a half turn throwing and catching, and then a full turn.
►Toss, clap the hands and catch the beanbag. Clap for different amounts of time. Clap the hands at different body parts.
►Pretend to do activities such as combing your hair, brushing your teeth or another sport while catching the bag.
►Toss, kneel and catch. Try catching between the legs, and then change positions so that you are facing the anterior direction.
►Throw the beanbag back and forth and side to side to your self.
►Balance on different body parts, and try using more than one beanbag to achieve this goal.
►Try to do different stunts or exercises while using the beanbag. This teaches hand or body dexterity and control. It also helps students with concentration.
►Teach body parts identification by putting or controlling the beanbag on different parts of the body.
►Teach colours, sizes, numbers, and direction using different beanbags. Speed, rhythm, and direction can be taught as you use different songs or music while moving the beanbag from one partner to another.
►Try throwing the beanbag to different surfaces, such as a shelf, or into a hula hoop, basketball or container. See how it feels to throw beanbags into various types of containers.

Beanbags are a great addition to physical fitness activities, to any classroom, or group fitness program. Children can practice what they have learned with a group instructor by working at home with an older sibling or parent.
What a wonderful way to build a healthy lifestyle for life!

Beanbag Resources:
Many of these skills can be found on CD`s from Kimbo Educational*. The following recordings give direction, variety, and verbal instruction. The CD`s include a guide, which features lyrics and instructions.
1. Me and my Bean Bag, The Learning Station.
2. Bean Bag Activities and Coordination Skills, Stewart, Georgiana.
3. Bean Bag Rock & Roll, Stewart, Georgiana. 2000.

About the Author:

Christina Chapan is an ACE certified personal trainer, fitness author, education conference speaker and elementary school teacher. Christina has a B.S. from North Central University in Elementary Education, an M.A. from Governors State University, and a C.P.T. from the American Council of Exercise. She is currently working towards a degree in Youth Fitness Training from The International Science Association. Christina teaches third grade and elementary science. She is also the Character Educational Lunchtime Coordinator for lower and middle elementary at her school, and works in the after-school care program.

Valentine’s Day is coming up and often the focus is on sweets. The following games do not focus on sweets focus on but students working together and learning how to be better friends with one another.  It’s a fun way to celebrate this special day!
Warm ups

Heart of the Matter

Materials:  Music, CD player, and ball or heart shaped object
The children take a ball or heart shaped object and throw it to each other in a circle.  When the music stops, whoever has the object must go into the center of the circle and perform an aerobic activity such as running, jumping, etc.  The rest of the class follows suit outside of the circle, and the object is passed around again until after the music stops.

Healthy Heart Hop
Materials: Valentines with various exercises on them

As the students enter the activity area tell them you have special Valentines for them from you.  Hand the Valentines out to the students.  Students read the card, perform the fitness activity safely in the activity area, and then they give another student the card.  Continue as long as you like.

Medium Activities

Sweetheart Throw

Materials:  Hearts with various point values, small balls or sponges to hit various heart targets, tape

Take three hearts and have the kids each throw a ball or sponge. Add the point values to each heart hit.  The student with the most points wins.
HS vs. VH
Materials: Valentine heart

Have all the children hide their eyes while you “hide” a valentine in the room. Tell the children to find the Valentine, but not touch it.  Once they spot it they should sit back down in their spot.  The first one to sit down again will get to hide the valentine.
Heart Felt Greetings
Materials:  chute, heart-shaped name card for each child, and overhead marker with each child’s name
Lift the chute over their heads.  Have several children put the heart shaped name cards, face-up under the chute. Lower the chute.  Name two or three children and a movement.  Everyone else raises the chute.  The children you named go under the chute doing the movement, as they look for their hearts.  Everyone else chants.  After each child finds his heart, he picks up and does the movement back to his place.  Continue until everyone has his heart.
High Energy Activities
Race for the Heart
Cut out a bunch of different-colored hearts, write different actions on them (e.g., hop, clap, crawl, skip, etc.), and place the hearts in a decorated box.
Divide the kids into 2 teams and designate who goes first.
The leader of each team would run up to a box and pull out a heart.  Each child must do that particular action, and then run back to his team. The next child in the line is given the heart, and they must do that action back to the heart box. The games continue until every child has a turn.
Partner Project

Materials Needed: Laminated hearts,

Cut the hearts down the middle in one of three pathways; straight, curved, or zigzag, balloons, music
Students choose one-half of a heart and a balloon at random. Students then spread out in the general space. They begin traveling on the teacher’s signal or music beginning with their balloon in the pathway given on edge of their heart.. On the teachers’ signal students move and safely find someone else who shares the same pathway by matching connecting edges, and finding their heart partner. When students have found a partner, they will throw the balloon back and forth five times.
Operation Valentine’s Day

Materials:

Four bases

Ten beanbags
Two necklaces for the taggers

Two boxes to hold the beanbags
Three Hula Hoops

Spread the bases out throughout the playing area. On one sideline, place 2 hula-hoops (this is the empty chocolate box). On the opposite sideline, place one hula-hoop (this is Cupid’s base).  At one end of the gym (in the middle), place the beanbags (known as the valentines/chocolates) in a box on the end line.  At the other end of the gym, place an empty box on the end line; (this box is where the students place the rescued valentines (beanbags).

Select two students who will be the taggers.  Have each one wear a necklace. They are named the “Huggers” and the “Kissers” (one student is “hugs” the other is “kisses” – as in Hershey’s chocolate kisses).  The two taggers stand in the center circle of the gym to start the game. Then select one student to be “Cupid,” and have him/her stand in the one hula-hoop (Cupid’s safety zone) on the sideline. The rest of the class is lined up on the end line, opposite the box of valentines (beanbags). The object of the game is to see how fast the class can rescue the valentines (beanbags) by avoiding the taggers (Hugs & Kisses).  Start the game by having the students WALK first, and then add various locomotor movements later.  Running is not a good choice for safety reasons for this game. If a student is tagged by a hugger or kisser, they must go to the empty chocolate box (the 2 hula-hoops on the sideline) and if they had a valentine (beanbag), they must return it to the box. The student may rejoin the game once they are tagged back in by Cupid. The only “safe” zones in this game are the  bases. The student may only be on a base for 10 seconds or less, and may only use one base for each trip (down and back). Therefore, students may not base hop (go from one base to another and so on). Only one student per base is allowed.  Also, the taggers cannot “guard” the bases and Cupid may not use the bases as a safety zone.The game continues until: 1) all of the valentines (beanbags) are rescued or 2) Cupid is tagged outside of the safety zone (hula-hoop). When the game is over pick new huggers and kissers, and a new Cupid.
Heart Felt Feelings
Materials needed: 2-4 Small Foam balls (preferably red), Valentine’s Day cards, basket to place cards in

Establish clear boundaries for the game and set up a basket outside the boundaries that contains various Valentine’s Day cards  Then select  two students to hold the red foam balls – they are the taggers.  Ask students to walk first, and then incorporate different locomotor skills.  If a student is tagged by a person with a red foam ball, he/she must assume the shape of a valentine with hands held in a heart shape over their head, feet together.  To get back in the game a student who is free runs  to the person and says something nice about them. The frozen person is now free to get back in the game.

Cool Down

It is a great idea to have some finger plays to share with your students.  It is a great way to cool them down and get them ready for their next class.

Valentines, valentines
Red, white and blue
I will make a nice one
And send it to you.

Valentine’s Day
If I could be the mail carrier
For just one single time,
I would choose to carry Valentines
So lovely and so fine.
I would not mind the heavy load,
Or mind my tired feet.
If I could scatter happiness,
All up and down the street.
Counting Valentines

Valentines, valentines, how many do I see?
Valentines, valentines, count them with me.
I have red ones, orange ones, yellow ones, too.
I have green ones, purple ones, and some that are blue.
Valentines, valentines, how many do I see?
Count them with me!  1-2-3-4-5…..
5 Little Valentines
Five little valentines were having a race
The first little valentine was frilly with lace.
The second little valentine had a funny face.
The third little valentine said, “I love you.”
The fourth little valentine said, “I do too.”
The fifth little valentine was sly as a fox.
He ran the fastest to the valentine box.
Children sit in a circle and send a imaginary valentine to one of their friends.
Valentine’s Day Song
(can be sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb)

You’re a special friend of mine,
Friend of mine, friend of mine,
You’re a special friend of mine,
Be my Valentine.

HEART (can be sung to the tune of BINGO)

To show you like your special friend,
Just give them each a heart,
H. E. A. R. T, H. E. A. R. T, H. E. A. R. T,  Each heart says I like you.

Three Valentines
(to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”)

Three valentines I have for you
Have for you; have for you,
Three valentines I have for you,
Pink and red and blue.
I will put them in the mail for you,
Mail for you, mail for you,
I will put them in the mail for you,
Pink and red and blue.

Love is a Circle

Love is a circle, ( children walk or another aerobic activity in a circle)
Round and round,
Love goes up, (children wave hands up)
And love comes down, ( children wave hands down)
Love is on the inside, ( children move into the inside)
Trying to get out, ( children move out of the close circle)
Love is whirling and twirling about!  (whirl and twirl in the circle)

So if you are looking for games for your next day Valentine’s party look no further but in V-Day Games!
References

Can Teach: http: //www.canteach.com

Party Game Ideas: http://www.partygameideas.com/valentines-day-games.htm

Valentine Volley: http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/PrintLesson.asp?ID=4264

Valentine’s Day for the Heart: http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=4182

Valentine Rescue: http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=2166

Valentine’s Tag: http://www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/ViewLesson.asp?ID=2092

Wnek, Barbara  Holiday Games, and Activities, Champaign, IL Human Kinetics, 1992

A Collection of Valentine’s Day Games: http://freebiesandstuff.freeyellow.com/valentines_day/games/

Wilmes, Liz and Dick. Parachute Play. Elgin, Illinois: Building Blocks, 2000