Recently, my mom told my kids about playing "Kick the Can" as a child - how the neighborhood kids gathered at dusk in the street. One child guarded a coffee can while the others hid in the shadows, waiting for a chance to kick the can. But playing in the street now days is more like the Hunger Games than a special childhood summer memory. So, my husband, Jeff, modified Kick the Can for the … [Read more...]
Make Big Art! Art With Movement
Guest post written by amazing play blogger, Jamie from hands on: as we grow. Hello Imagination Soup readers! Melissa always has terrific book suggestions. How about taking an idea from one of her book suggestions and create some art? More specifically, move and create with Big Art! Big Art is my favorite type of art to do with kids. What is Big Art? Big Art is a term I created to explain art … [Read more...]
Walking Stories
by Kia Robertson, mom and creator of Today I Ate a Rainbow. Last year we decided to go on daily walks together as a family, we're usually out for about an hour, so to keep our daughter energized we started telling her stories. This was particularly helpful on the long hills! She would be so interested in the story that she didn't realize she was making her way up the hills. My husband and I … [Read more...]
Movement Matters for the Brain
Guest post by Nikki Crouse, mom and fitness expert. First of all, let me be clear about the fact that I was never the kid who moved gracefully and was usually one of the last people picked when teams were divided up in gym class. I tripped over invisible lines and, when I was brave enough to wear shorts, everyone made fun of my purple, splotchy legs. I rarely made a basket, fainted during two … [Read more...]
Yoga Videos for Kids
Imagine a story that while children listened, they moved along with the action? That is the concept behind Move With Me Action Adventures, a series of yoga videos about Scooter and Boy. We know from brain research that movement improves cognitive function. But, sometimes it's hard to get our kids to move enough! The Action Adventures DVDs engage children in movement while building listening … [Read more...]
DIY Backyard Obstacle Course for Your Kids
Get kids active and outdoors with a do-it-yourself (DIY) backyard obstacle course. Obstacle courses build important gross motor skills, develop muscles, develop coordination, help motor planning, increase endurance, increase confidence, basically, all the benefits of outdoor play and physical activity that you already know about. Let each of your kids (or their friends) invent a course for … [Read more...]