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<\/p>\nToday we have two movement activities for you to choose from for our \u201cMovement Monday\u201d. Both activities involve animal movements. The first activity will appeal more to younger children, but older children could change the story, and movements, to appeal to their age group. The second activity is more general, and is for any age.<\/p>\n
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Read the story below, the \u201cDay of a Squirrel\u201d (Adapted from: Active Healthy Kids Canada, activ8, Grades 1\u20133, 2002 and Daily Physical Activity in Schools<\/a>).<\/p>\n There once was a squirrel who loved to jump<\/strong>. This squirrel\u2019s name was Spring. Spring did not scamper<\/strong> (move quickly) most of the time like regular squirrels, but instead hopped<\/strong> and jumped<\/strong> and leaped<\/strong> everywhere she went. She woke up early every morning, stretched<\/strong> her arms, waved hello<\/strong> to the sun then scampered<\/strong> (moved quickly) down her tree to begin her day. She rarely went straight down the tree. She liked to jump up<\/strong> from branch to branch first. She loved it when the branch would jump back<\/strong> at her and she would have to try to keep her balance before leaping<\/strong> to the next branch.<\/p>\n The first stop in Spring’s day was almost always at the park. She would find the park benches and jump up<\/strong> onto the seats. She would walk<\/strong> carefully along the benches then jump to the side<\/strong>, making a safe landing. She would look under the benches to see if she could find any food or treats to eat.<\/p>\n Another one of Spring’s favourite things to do was to scamper<\/strong> (move quickly) along the path in the park and jump forward<\/strong> over every crack in the sidewalk. She liked to pretend that she was a super flying squirrel, jumping up<\/strong> as high as she could over every line she saw. Spring\u2019s day went on like that with every activity involving jumping<\/strong>. She hopped<\/strong> over small things like leaves, she jumped side to side<\/strong> over big things like rocks, she especially loved to jump up high<\/strong> over things that were in a row and jumping side to side<\/strong> from one rock to another rock in the river. Spring\u2019s day usually ended with . . .<\/p>\n Have your child make up the way Spring ended the day and move around in that way.<\/p>\n Instead of jumping and hopping, change the movements to something else (e.g. bending, jogging on the spot). Make up your own story and movements.<\/p>\n This activity is open-ended, with a lot of choice, depending on how active you want to be today.<\/p>\n Other animal movement descriptions can be found at ANIMAL WALKS ANIMAL WALKS<\/a> (OPHEA)<\/p>\n 2. Decide on the order of your movements for the distance (and\/or time) you picked, and go! Have someone call out the animal (Example: \u201cBunny\u201d and begin hopping, then \u201ccheetah\u201d and start running, then \u201ccrab\u201d and crab walk frontward, then finish with \u201cturtle\u201d walking slowly.)<\/p>\n\n
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Variation:<\/h3>\n
Activity 2:<\/h2>\n
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