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Friday, March 6, 2015

Toss the balloon! Did you see the letter?

I think this is the first gross motor activity that I post on my blog.
These are my second graders.  In this picture, two of them are participating in OT session and other two are attending PT session. Competition! Competition!!
OT vs. PT students! :)
Competition is sometimes a good motivator for kids.  I would not make them compete each other 1:1.   I like group competition. I want them to support each other when they did not win the game.  It encourages their social skills while they're playing.

So this is the game rule:
2 kids plays in one team.
They will toss a ballon.  The balloon has a letter attached by the Velcro. (You can tape the letter or write down multiple letters on the balloon.)
Each team tosses the balloon to each other.  When it's fell down on the floor, the other team gets a chance to answer what letter it is.
If the team answers correctly, they'll get a point.  If not, the other team will get a chance to answer.

Why are they playing this game?

This game enhances kids' visual skills and visual motor coordination skills.  In order to play this game, they have to look at the balloon and should track the balloon to toss it back to the other team.
In addition, they have to pay attention to the letter that keeps moving. It is not easy to keep the balloon in the air and to keep their eyes on the moving balloon and the letter at the same time.

How does visual skills affect kids' school function ?

I guess this is a rhetorical question. In school, kids need visual skills for playing, participating in gym, looking at teachers during lesson, and copying assignments from the board, etc.  Enhance their visual skills by playing and having fun with them.  They will also improve classroom participation and function.  



Enjoy playing~!
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