It's Playtime: Body Fun

It's Playtime and Messy Kids isn't just about art and play.  We also want to promote healthy body awareness through play and activities.  Who says exercise, balance, and the body can't be fun?      

Learners in Bloom shared how to have Yoga Fun with Preschoolers with the help of some lovely yoga pose cards from Barefoot Books.  I used these cards when I taught preschool and they are great!  The kids loved the many animal names and balance activities.  

  Teach Joy in the Body with some simple activities from Enjoying the Journey.  

Don't have any Yoga pose cards?  Check out this kid friendly yoga video posted by Healthymamainfo.  


If you were featured this week, don't forget to grab your special "featured button." 

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEYKQj4S7oHoLKfsA3PoeXgaNMJ5dxkdUxIphbmwXOlbFg78Gwl73-rT8AdMTgmqYmIJZrkJRYOqOEItkCbR_exui4YhZqLlwZaBHXhC5slGyqPScnxvq-zrQezw9-MdIUiecgW3fxKg/s1600/featured-messykids.jpg" width="150/" /></a>

These activities plus more can be found over on the It's Playtime Pinterest Board.  Happy Pinning! 

Now, on to this weeks play date! 

It's Playtime is a community and Thursday link-up hosted by:

* Rachele : Messy Kids (That's me!)
* Anna : The Imagination Tree
* Rachel : Quirky Momma
* Jamie : hands on : as we grow
* Jenny : Let the Children Play

How to Play :

* Link up a post about a playful learning experience enjoyed by kids.

* Give us love and pop a button into your post/blog. Invite your readers to the weekly play date!

<a href="http://messypreschoolers.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VWLA7lm_Fqc/TaNHGpGSuVI/AAAAAAAAEX0/DGSvqIT7fyU/s320/RED-itplaytime.jpg" width="150" /></a>

* Stop by one of our blogs every Thursday and add your link about play. Your link will show up on each of the blogs in the It's Playtime community.

* Each week the playtime hosts will choose favorite posts to feature. (By linking you are giving us permission to use an image and link to you, if featured.)

* Be sure to visit some of the links that catch your eye. Commenting on posts that you find interesting or inspiring is a wonderful way to develop your own playful community.

I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!

I am a big believer in messy play.  I was the teacher who gave the kids a bunch of stuff to glue and paint without a smock or put flour in the sensory table for exploration.  The bigger the mess, the more fun kids are having, right?!  Well, a few years ago I purchased a set of books with audio CDs from Scholastic, with no knowledge of the titles they sent me.  In that set I found the book that fits me most, I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards)).  I always wanted to create a lesson around it, so now I've got my own blog, that's exactly what I'm going to do!

Although you can purchase the book on it's own, I recommend the set with the audio CD.  The author, Karen Beaumont, has taken the song, "Ain't Gonna Rain No More" and has written a fabulous story to match the tune.  A childish voice sings the story on the CD.   

The synopsis of this story is a child who enjoys painting...just a little too much.  Through the use of rhyme the child paints each part of his body more colorfully then the last.  David Catrow illustrates this book with fun and flare.

Lesson Ideas    

Literacy: While reading (or listening) to the story, see if the children can guess what the next part of the body is by simply listening to the rhyme (i.e. "Well there ain't no harm if I paint my......arm...").  The audio CD does pause slightly before naming the body part to allow for this.  If your children are a bit older, see if they can think of other words to rhyme with the body parts.

Art: Provide the children with a set of face paints.  Let them paint their arms and legs (or the arms and legs of their friends).  If you are uncomfortable with this, trace their hand and arm on paper and let them decorate it how they choose.


Science: Rainbow Milk

Outdoor: Provide the children with large paint brushes, rollers, and water so they can "paint" outdoors.  Allow them to "paint" the sidewalk, building, play structure, bikes, etc.  Give them freedom to explore.

Math: Patterns One illustration in the book is of the child's leg painted like an "Easter Egg".

•  Cut and laminate a "leg" shape (or an egg).  Design pattern pieces the children can place on the "leg" in the pattern of their choice.
•  Provide pipe cleaners and beads for patterning.  Make a loop on one end of the pipe cleaner to prevent the beads from falling off.   
• Make Fruit Loop Necklaces 

I hope you and your children enjoy this book as much as my preschoolers and I did.  Now that I am home, my son and I listen to this story on a regular basis.  It has become one of his favorites too.  

What lesson ideas do you have for this story?  Feel free to link and share!

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