Lessons
Level 1, Lesson 1: Where Are We Today?
Topic 1: Overview
Topic 2: What to expect & What is Big Body Play?
Topic 3: The State of Our Health Today
Topic 4: What is Going on?
Topic 5: How Does Play Impact Kids?
Topic 6: The Connection Between Movement and Learning
Topic 7: Wrap-Up, A Story from Kindergarten
Level 1 Lesson 1: Reading assignments & References
Level 1, Lesson 1 Foundations Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 2: Literacy, What's Physical About It?
Topic 1: Review and Introduction
Topic 2: Parents and Schools
Topic 3: Defining Physical Literacy
Topic 4: Children Love to Move
Topic 5: Putting It All Together
Topic 6: Adult Role Models and Conclusion
Topic 7: Reading Material & References
Level 1, Lesson 2: Literacy, What's Physical About It? Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 3: Did You Bring Your Six-Pack? Core Strength and a Child's Success
Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 1: Introduction
Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 2: The Pivot to Play Learning Pyramid
Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 3: What is the Core to a Child?
Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 4: A Little History & Some Engineering
Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 5: What Does Core Strength Look Like in Kids Today?
Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 6: What Does This Mean For Classroom Success?
Level 1, Lesson 3 Topic 7: Wrap -Up
Level 1, Lesson 3: Reading Material and References
Level 1, Lesson 3: Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 4: Running on Empty: Aerobic Movement and the Brain
Topic 1: Introduction
Topic 2: Let's Start By Talking About the Brain
Topic 3: So How Does a Brain Develop?
Topic 4: What Happens to Children When They Exercise Aerobically?
Topic 5: Aerobic Movement, Behavior and Self-Control
Topic 6: What is Happening in the Brain When We Move Aerobically?
Topic 7: Reading Material and References
Level 1, Lesson 4 Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 5: Let's Spin Some Success with a Powerful Vestibular System
Topic 1: Introduction
Topic 2: What is the Vestibular System?
Topic 3: What Do a Well-Developed and a Poorly Developed Vestibular System look like?
Topic 4: How Does this Impact Classroom Success?
Topic 5: What Can Be Done to Support the Vestibular System
Topic 6: What More Can We Do?
Topic 7: Reading Material and References
Level 1, Lesson 5 Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 6: Jump, Push and Pull the Proprioceptive System into Our Tool Box
Topic 1: Introduction
Topic 2: What Is Proprioception? How Does It Work?
Topic 3: How Is It Transferred to the Classroom, Social Skills and Development?
Topic 4: How Do We Strengthen It?
Topic 5: Putting It All Together
Topic 6: Reading and References
Level 1, Lesson 6 Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 7: Tips and Tricks: Starting Your Business & Classroom Management
Topic 1: Introduction
Topic 2: Consider the Big Picture
Topic 3: It's Not All About the Games!
Topic 4: Modeling and Communication
Topic 5: Your Lesson Plans and How to Use Them
Topic 6: Safety and the Environment in Which You Will Conduct Your Program
Topic 7: Seeing is Believing & References
Level 1, Lesson 7 Quiz
Level 1, Lesson 8: Games to Support these Strengths & Skills
Level 1 Lesson Plans: Group 1
Level 1 Lesson Plans: Group 2

Level 1, Lesson 3, Topic 6: What Does This Mean For Classroom Success?

 

  • Can the child sit on the floor with a straight back or does the pelvis tuck under, the back round and the legs bend? Does the child use hands on the floor for support?
  • Does the child lose balance, fall easily or bump into things regularly for lack of balance?
  • Does the child W-sit after age 2?
  • Can the child throw or kick a ball without falling over?
  • Does the child play a great deal of video games or spend a lot of time in front of a screen?
  • Does the child wiggle a great deal when sitting in a chair or slump over a desk or table, not able to sit up straight?
  • Does he have a hard time jumping after age 3?
  • When cutting or manipulating and using his hands for a fine motor task, does he grit his teeth or let his mouth hang open?
  • Doe he shrug while working on a project or task?

Note:  W-sitting is when a child sits on his bottom with his knees in front and his legs bent to the side so that his heels are by his hips, instep down so that his legs make a “W” on the floor. This position is extremely stable because the “W” base is so wide. When children are just learning to sit independently, they may W-sit and that is ok. But once they reach the age of 3 they should have moved away from this posture. W-sitting provides a strong base and does not require core strength to stabilize, so when children are in play while W-sitting, they are not strengthening their core. But as you know, children are designed to build strength in play and sitting on the floor in play is one of the ways children work these critical muscles. When children are seen regularly sitting in a W after age 2, core strength is almost always weak, frequently appearing as balance challenges, lots of wiggling while seated at a desk or at circle time, difficulty in sitting on the floor with a preference to lie down rather than sit or challenges with gross motor skills like jumping or climbing. W-sitting is also uniquely tied to several Pivot to Play™ Strengths and Skills and we will discuss more of the broad ramifications of W-sitting in future lessons.

Some excellent core strength builders for kids:

  • Spinal balance/bird dog
  • Plank
  • Side plank
  • Bridge
  • Knee lifts/marching with high knees
  • Bear crawling
  • Crab walking
  • Climbing
  • Swinging unassisted
  • Swimming
  • Jumping
  • Yoga balance poses
  • Pushing
  • Pulling
  • Lifting

Remember: just about everything we do in the Pivot to Play™ program has some level of core strength involved. It may not always be checked in the Pivot to Play™ Strengths and Skills System, but it always driving everything we do.

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