By Craig Valency, MA, CSCS
We assume too much when working with kids. I have been guilty of assuming that they know the names of all their body parts and how to move them. This, of course, created frustration for them and me. I thought they weren’t listening, and they wondered what in the world I was talking about!
Body part call outs is a simple game that serves many purposes. First, it assures kids learn the names of the body parts and where they are, then it creates a physical association with that new knowledge, as they have to move or touch that body part. Total physical response, or TPR, in education has been shown to improve learning.
Next, we have the kids moving their body in all the planes of motion, which is just a great way to get them warmed up. As deceptively simple as it sounds, by having to respond to a command, then think of where the body part is and how to get there, kids are also priming their brain and nervous system.
Try out body part call outs. Once they get it, start to get creative, have them touch body parts to the ground or to each other, or have them move and identify more than one part at a time.
We’d love your feedback. Let us know what you did, and the challenges and outcomes you encountered.
BODY PART CALL OUTS
Age: 5+
Total time: 1-2 minutes
Equipment: None
Group size: Any
Set up: None necessary
Fitness component: Awareness/Coordination
- Arrange children randomly in the space.
- Call out body parts, and have the children touch those part.
- For example: “Touch your arm. Touch your elbow. Touch your heel. Touch your shin.” Etc.
- This can also be done in a “Simon Says” format.
Craig Valency, MA, CSCS, president and co-founder of SPIDERfit, has been a personal trainer for the last 11 years. He is currently working at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, an elite personal training and athletic conditioning facility. He specializes in youth strength and conditioning programs that promote physical literacy, injury prevention and optimal performance. Along with training youths from 6 to 18 years of age for general fitness, Craig has also worked with some of the top junior tennis players in the world. He has been a physical education consultant for the Stevens Point school district in Wisconsin for the last 3 years, helping revamp the district wide programming for the K-12 PE curriculum. Craig earned his bachelor degree from UCLA, and Masters Degree in Kinesiology from San Diego State University.
Thank you! This is Fun!
I’m so glad you liked it Luly! Stay tuned, we’ve got a lot more coming out like this.