12 exercises for strengthening our feet, posture, stability and movement

Our feet are our connection to the ground, and the base of our posture and movement. There are 26 bones, 36 joints and lots of muscles and tendons in them. Our feet must be both flexible and strong in order to stabilize us and enable us to live active lives.
As we  grow old our feet and ankles are weakening, and in our modern world where they are usually wrapped-up in shoes, their flexibility is constantly at risk, leading to the fact that we are not very stable in some of the activities. We must also remember that our feet and posture also affect our knees and pelvis, as part of the lower body movement chain.

In different cultures the feet represent the body as a whole, and healthy feet are like a mirror to the healthy body.Many illnesses first affect our feet.

Good posture - both in movement and static - enables us to be confident in our daily activities.
Since most people don't really know how to strengthen their feet and toes, we decided to share with you some easy and joyful exercises that are important at any age, from 2 yo to a 120 :)

1. Standing on the tip of your toes, and than on your ankles. If you cannot hold yourself straight at the beginning - use something to lean on or hold hands with the person next to you.

2. Stand on only one foot for several seconds, while the other is held in the air, and then change feet. 
Add some jumping on one foot. You can also stand on one foot and stretch the other one backwards or forward.

3.Stand on your 6 or your 4 - on the edge of your fingers and toes - shift the weight of your back from fingers to nails and vice versa, forwards and backwards.Repeat this several times.
Attention: at first this might be difficult, so only perform it with 2-3 repetitions,and slowly raise their number.
*Little kids use tire fast after several repetitions, and then they like to hide underneath us or climb on us.

4. Spread your toes as much as possible, and then tighten them as much as possible. It might feel weird at first or even might hurt a bit, but the improvement is fast and very enjoyable.
Twist the ankle joint both ways, pose in flex and point.

5.Spread your feet to the sides - as wide as you can without any exterior force, and remain in this position for 5-10 seconds.
Close your feet one above the other, hold for several seconds, and switch sides.
Place parts of your feet on the opposite ankle, and perform a "mini-massage" of the ankle/feet-arch to the feet's side.

6.Open and widen the space between your toes - it really opens up the movement and breathing space of the joints.

7. Flex your feet - forward, backwards, to the sides - very gently and while listening to what your body tells you it can do, and the movement range of the feet. smaller children might need some assistance.
*For flexibility from your age and massaging toddlers - please see the book "Loving Hands: The Traditional Art of Baby Massage" by Frederil Leboyer.

8. Stand on "Spaghetti" or a broom's-stick and shift your weight back and forth.

9."Spaghetti" walking  - requires work from the stabilizing muscles. You can also walk on any other wall. (For more examples please check our post about balance).

10. Spread different objects on the grass/floor/sand and collect them using only your toes, slip them on your feet, pick them up in collaboration with your partner/child/friend - only with your feet, no hands. 
You can pile all the objects you have raised to one big pile, or you can each have your own pile.
Suggested objects for this exercise: small hoops, pencils and pens, cotton balls, wrinkled papers etc.
It might be hard at first - do not despair!

11.Side position - lean on your hand/forearm - raise your upper leg up. This also works on you back muscles and abs.
Kids really love this one.
Attention - perform very little repetitions.  If you feel pain in your lower back - stop and do not force your body.

12. Try to walk barefoot as much as possible - at home, on the sand at the beach, on the grass in the park.

Health & Joy !






All the responsibility is on the parent and/ or educator
All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer ©

The importance of playing with our children, as parents and educators

As children and as adults, playing games develops our skills. Unfortunately, the free play in the Western world is constantly decreasing.
Studies show that the more the free-play time decreases, there is also a decrease in empathy, social, understanding each other (emotions and needs) etc., and an increase in anxiety and depression might be common.

In this post I would like to elaborate on the advantages of playing with your children - both your own kids and the kids you educate.
Playing a mutual game with the children entails lots of opportunities in it to get to know each other better, to develop intimacy, completing challenges together, learning from a role model, joint frustration and success' etc.
When an adult plays with children their connection, bond and attachment are better, and the place of the adult in the child life is bigger and more important, which eases the whole boundaries issue.  

Here are some general "rules":
 
1. Play, and a lot - box games, Imagination games, outside games (football, catch the ball etc.), road games while travelling and any other kind of game you like. You are invited to share with us what are your favorite games.

2. Find mutual activities from different areas such as reading, riding, cycling, running, hiking etc. (Allow your children to get to know your inner world, and try to learn some about their inner world).

3. Remember the joy of tickles and peek-a-boo games with babies and toddlers? Children seek contact, it varies according to their age, but you know your children: hug them, play with them, roll in the grass with them etc., as long as you all enjoy the activity and the contact.

4. Choice - Involve the children in the decision, present them with several options and let them choose. If there is a large number of children, it can be practiced as a democratic choice where the majority vote counts. It is highly advisable to vary the choice every few weeks.

5. Always remember that a game is a protected place, but it is also a place where one can learn to cope with rules - not to cheat, how to lose without having a fit, how not to frustrate your fellow players....
Adapt your level and and flexibility to the children's level, in order to create an harmonic atmosphere where all are equal - a true sense of realistic winning, along with a true sense of realistic losing. If you will always allow your child to win, he will turn into a sore loser while playing with friends, and will be more likely to throw a fit with any failure. Children need to also learn how to lose.

6. There is a constant rise in the game and the child abilities - At first, children love to cooperate. It's a great stage to show them how it's done properly, learn some team work etc.
Children love competition - don't rush it - it will come at their own pace. At the early stages it is more important to teach them how to win, how to lose, and how not to be insulted from any of the results.

7. Enjoy, really enjoy the game. If you play with a full heart and intentions and not just "go through the motions" your children will sense it, and will appreciate it more.

8. Talk with them after the game - how did they feel, how was it, did they enjoy, what didn't they like....don't forget to share your feelings too. A mutual open conversation is much more productive and teaching to the children than any theory of - "it's important to tell us everything" "no secrets" etc.

9. The game level should be appropriate to the children age - you can always make some adaptions, such as:
a. the "Picolino" game is for children from the age of 4+, but eliminating the the crying clowns cards allows children from the age of 3+ to play it.
b.Playing catch - the older the child the bigger the distance, at first you start by rolling on the ground, then throwing in the air etc.

10. Turn off your cell phones while playing. Thank you :)

Enjoy , and if you have good tips- share them with us :)

Thank you

you can read more:

Ken Robinson - out of our minds, chapter 9.

Peter Gray.

All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer ©

Balance games, and yes, it's extremely important

Balance, homeostasis, equilibrium- so many words used to describe many contexts- physical, emotional, cognitive & educational, biological and more.
Balance starts to  develope during infancy and has a crucial role in any physical- motor aspect- walking, running, balancing, standing on one leg, playing with friends etc.

A lack of balance sense may cause difficulties in - integrating in a play, motor difficulties, a sense of separation from the peer group, anxiety and lack of self- confidence, and some children will have problems in learning- reading, concentrate, sitting and more.

Balance is affected by physiological factors (the vastibular system that connects the kinesthetic system and the vision system) and from body experiences on different developmental stages, from infantry and onwards.

Because balance is a major element in the motor functioning that influences the self esteem, comfortable movement and the learning abilities, it is worthwhile playing games that improve it, and mainly add confidence, for example:

1. rolling forward and backward (pay attention to the position of the head- chin to to chest).
2. sitting on a ball- medium size or fit-ball (well inflated)- lifting one leg, lifting two legs, lifting hands- up & down, rolling on the ball.

3. walking on short walls- in the beginning with hand, and later on without.
4. walking on trees roots.

5. paste a path from a tape on the floor, and walking on it while staying balanced.
6. jumping on one leg, two legs- forward, to the sides, backwards.
7. rolling to the side, keeping the body straight.
8. standing on one leg for 10 sec. prolonging the time after a week.

9. climbing on the high facilities in the playground (safely).

10. drawing with chalk or with tape squares and jumping from one to another.

11. walking on a rope- on the ground.

12. riding bikes, scooters etc.

13. walking barefoot on the tiptoes.

14. swing.

ENJOY :)

 All the exercises in this film are professional recommendations.  However, the implementations are under  parents and/ or educators responsibility.
* If you see no improvement, or have multiple challenges consult a professional.

                              All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer © 

Improving Concentration and Attentiveness while playing

I am fascinated with the subject of how children with attention deficit disorder (for various reasons) cope with the class' life - from the mutual aspect of teacher-pupil relationship, the learning experience, the social experiences, their sense of self-esteem and abilities, and off course the emotional experience.

I believe that a lot of flexibility is required from the teacher, a flexibility which is also derived from offering the children with tools and coping strategies.

I recently read a nice article about children with attention deficit disorder which claimed, among other things, that ordering them in a manner of imperative mood - sit! listen! etc. takes up a huge energy from them - they are concentrating on the sitting itself, instead of the learning tasks which they face. This has made it clear to me that such children should be approached in a manner of movement to increase their listening abilities, while combining learning tasks.

In this post I would like to present to you with 4 simple movement games, that can be practices in every kindergarten/classroom/home/playground. They work on listening, focus of attentiveness, and combining working with active learning attentiveness:

1. Knowledge in Movement - 

a game of "balloons in the air". Each child gets a balloon and they must keep it up in the air with using various body parts.

It is not allowed to touch the other players' balloons - not to "help" them and not to snatch them.

The teacher ask questions or gives assignment during the balloons game. For example: 

X - how much is 30+3?

Y - What is the capitol of China?

Z+P+U - bounce the balloons only with the help of your knees.

The purpose is to determine a specific play-time with specific rules, and thus create the need to listen and simultaneously perform an action/calculation/answer etc., and detect when does the teacher change the instructions.

The level of the teaching/questions/calculations etc. must be adapted to the pupil's level.

When dealing with a child who has an attention deficit disorder we will start with changing our instructions, and with time and level of progress will ask for general knowledge/calculation questions.

2. An obstacle course with a prolonged mission - 

Building a confused phrase or assembles pictures to a story, or build a story with separate phrases, while each educational mission builds gradually.

You give the child one part of the puzzle/pictures/structure etc., and every time he finishes a part of the course or the entire course you take or being given the next part.

If you cannot build an obstacle lane you can give the children a props - basketball/hoop/rope etc. - and give them an assignment - to dribble the basketball, walk and dribble/ turn it around etc. When the teacher calls for the first part, everybody must run and get it. The winner is whoever finishes first the puzzle/assignment/phrase etc.

This game requires persistence and organization alongside to attentiveness.

3. Keeping balance - 

Maintaining a balance demands concentration, coordination, a physical fitness and self-esteem. Combining an educational assignment while performing balance exercises forces the brain to coordinate between it's different parts and cells.

I recommend to use what's available in your environment for practice - walking on a bench/beam, jumping using only one foot, walk on a rope which is spread in different shapes, walk only on or between  taped marks (prepared in advance) on the floor.

While the pupils exercise their balance, the teachers starts to ask questions, riddles etc. Take notes to yourself who manages to answer fast without losing their balance. This pupils can be challenged with higher levels - collect balls/balloons - and then continue with the task.

This activity encourages and develops a listening sequence, better pose and balance, while cooperating in your own space without bothering your fellow pupils space.

4. A Quick observation game - to which we have already dedicated an entire post in our blog:

http://togiplaytogether.blogspot.co.il/2015/04/a-quick-observation-game.html

Enjoy :)

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All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer © 

Games for fluency, understanding and material assimilation

Children enjoy playing. The benefits of entering into a game status is that it encourages motivation and learning through practice, while having fun. Game time enables many learning opportunities, and with a supporting, encouraging and challenging environment a child's self esteem and number of success' can only rise.

Games can be part of the instilling phase, or as various stages of practice; Tamar Talshir (an Israeli researcher) talks about "layers" - every layer is supported above the previous one, and the learning is being made through contexts.

Many researches have shown that the connection between learning and movement is essential in:

1. The connection between movement and motion- moving an object with the hand for toddlers, throwing a ball to a friend etc.
2. Critical for first grade skills- motor skills, eye-hand connection, shoulder belt, coordination, social skills etc.
3. Developing various skills through games - how to listen, to scan, to follow somebody/ something, etc.
4. The ability to assimilate material/ information is connected to the response speed.
5. Some researches have shown that better implementation of learned material was achieved while moving (we'll write on it, with references, soon).

The advantage of using games in class are huge and include many areas- motivation, instilling and practice, self confidence, experiencing and experimenting, social benefits etc.

The five games suggested in this post use play time for working on understanding, listening, practice, memorization, fast responding and thinking/ calculating.

1. complete and opposite actions- multiplication and division

I throw a ball to a student and say a multiplication / division exercise.
the student needs to throw the ball back with the opposite exercise.
for example: 3 multiple 40 = 120
The student will say: 120 divided to 3 is 40, or to 40 is 3.

The game works both on listening, understanding the essence of multiplication and division and performance.

If someone failed he/she can get a second/ third chance.

2. Division of quantity/ shapes/ other

I work with my entire class (34 pupils) or with groups.
I ask them to split into equal numbered groups/ unequal groups that can be divided by 3,4,5,7 etc.
I may ask a group to create shapes, math exercise and more.

* you can play it on chemistry connections, cells and more.

In this game you can see who helps to organize, who understands, creativity and planning ahead.

3. Passing ball to series-

passing a ball between the pupils and calling a series- up or down, in different differences- 3,6,9,12....

33,66,99....

you can play with it in building sentences- every pupil says a word and passes the ball to the next pupil to continue. It can constitute of great leaders names, historical political agreements, family words etc.

4. You attach a number to each pupil:

a. the pupils run and then you call out "39+11". Those who bear the correct number which is the the result of this calculation must stop running.

b. the pupil can't see the numbers attached to him/her.. The other group members (up to five) will need to give him/her clues and if needed an exercise.

5. Draw circles with numbers/ elements on the floor and let the pupils run.

When you announce a number/ shape/ element they need to stand in it. The one who that can't find it within a specific time limit (few seconds) is out of the game. (kind of like playing "musical chairs").

the focus is on scanning, fast response and execution.

Good luck and enjoy

Do you have questions? Comments?
We will be happy to hear them, here, our facebook page, twitter, or ourYoutube channel.
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A quick Observation Game

In this post we will present to you a simple, fun and beneficial game for children.
You can play the game with random objects or with prepared set of pictures, or with special cards everyone can simply prepare at home.

The cards can be simple (shapes, colors, animals etc.), or more complex. for example:

1. letters and words
2. Numbers, mathematical equation, mathematical equation results.
3. The beginning of a an idiom, known squat etc.
4. Formulas and equations....

You can download our cards in PDF files (Acrobat), 10 A4 Colored pages here, or Black & White file that you can print and color with your kids here.

The game works on various skills, and you can raise the difficulty in different ways.

The instructions are simple:
The parent/teacher stands with the children at the starting point and asks them to bring him "X" The children need to locate a sample of this "X" and bring it to the parent/teacher or to their box/hoop.

A variation of the game can be played when one of the children is the one giving the instructions to his friends/parents/family - thus challenging him to take a lead.

Difficulty levels:

1. Hearing observation - singular, double or triple for example:
   Singular - bring me a red circle (in lower levels you can ask for only a circle/triangle etc.)
   Double - bring me a green turtle (from a group of animals)
   Triple - bring me a pink big horse.
2. Memory observation - for example, bring me a red triangle and a green square.
   Raising the difficulty level - bring me a red circle, yellow turtle and a pink horse.
3. Categorical observation.
4. Observation skills.
5. Response speed
6. Speed - who can run the fastest and collect the objects from the predefined play zone.
7. Focus - listening and perform.
8. With small children - focus them with concentrating all the cards/objects to the instructor, or to each of their boxes or hoops.

You can play this game with 1 child and more - up to the size of a class. You need to match the number of objects/cards/pictures accordingly. In my class each child has a set of cards with letters, numbers etc for different games - personal and group ones.

In my experience, children love this game because it is challenging, fast and interesting. In the social aspect it encourages a healthy competition or a collaboration against the instructor in teamwork, if they all decide to collect everything as a team and help each other.

In the educational-teaching aspect this is an excellent game for creating a flow and practicing and memorizing a recently studied material in a fun way.

For example: recognizing letters, the construction of a word or a phrase, recognizing numbers etc.

The game can be played with children in various ages.

Attached for your convenience you can find 2 PDF files with optional cards in our public Drive.

Do you have questions? Comments?
We will be happy to hear them, here, our facebook page, twitter, or ourYoutube channel.
You can tag your instagram photos with #Togiletsplay

All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer © 

Playing catch and self esteem

Playing catch with a ball demand motor skills:

1. eye hand coordination.
2. power adjustment.
3. catching with hands/ legs/ accessories.
4. coordination (basic or complex).

social skills:
1. willingness to play with others.
2. sharing
3. plying with friend/ friends

emotional skills:
1. diligence.
2. don't being frustrated.
3. self confidence.

Children who succeed catching and throwing a ball are exited and full of pride, while playing football or catching. the excitement is most highly to toddlers (up to 4-5 years old), but recognized in any new game, with special balls, and after sequence of no success, if happened.

The skill of catching and throwing is building gradually from very young age while rolling ball to a baby and improving the eye- tracking, the eye- hand motor, touching the ball and eventually rolling it back.
The ability to catch and throw different sized balls in games and real life, and being afraid of "not catching" might cause anxiety. we wrote is another post on gender equality and it's connection to motor skills- those are important once.

Here are five catching games that work on all the skills and increasing self esteem :)

1. Rolling balls at different sizes from one to another-
   start with big ball (to toddlers) and change the sizes.
   you can play with two balls- roll two with both hands, or roll in the same time.

2. Playing catch (soft ball in the beginning)- slowly increasing the space between and players.
   you can also play standing on one led (from age 5), in movement (from age 4).

3. Kicking- great for power adjustment, from age 2-2.5.
4. Throwing a ball while catching it with an object/ tool-
   using box, basket, bag or etc.
   It is a fun game that improves eye- hand coordination and movement planning.
5. Touch and throw, with no catching- you can play with balloons, balls, beans bags (above 6 you can use a hoop).
   The aim it to leave the ball/ balloon in the air.
   you can count up to 10/21/30 with no falls.
   The game demand high precision.

* You can challenge the children - standing on a firm bench or togo.

Enjoy :)

- Remember to fit the difficulty levels to the age and abilities of the children.
- you can play all the games also in groups.

   
Do you have questions? Comments?
We will be happy to hear them, here, our facebook page, twitter, or ourYoutube channel.
You can tag your instagram photos with #Togiletsplay


All the responsibility is on the parent and/ or educator.

All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer ©