|  Below
is a sample of the type of activities found in the manual.
Click on the name of the activity below
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NB* Illustrations in the manual are in black and white
Spatial Awareness - Card 9
Warm-up Activity - "Five Little Ducks"
FIVE LITTLE DUCKS WENT SWIMMING ONE DAY 
OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY
(Children hold hands in a circle with the practitioner
and walk round slowly)
MUMMY DUCK WENT “QUACK-QUACK, QUACK-QUACK”
(Make flapping actions with arms bent and elbows out)
BUT ONLY FOUR LITTLE DUCKS CAME BACK.
(Wiggle fingers from high to low)
(The practitioner should start the rhyme at whichever number is
appropriate for the group and repeat the series of movements
until
“
NO LITTLE DUCKS CAME BACK”. Instead of moving in a circle,
the warm-up
could be performed with children moving independently about
the play-space.
Main Activity- “Thomas the Tank”
(Children take one marker or hoop each (remember to use hoops
with care and don’t
step on them).
Let children practise moving like a train - their favorite
train, in and out of the station.
Children stand on their marker or inside their hoops. “ The
train is in the station”.
On a signal from the practitioner the “trains” (children) move about between stations.
On another signal from the practitioner the “trains” (children) carefully make their way back to their own station.
When they are in the “station” they pull the hooter twice
to show they Have arrived! (Here they could make appropriate “hooter” sounds
or show a different way of driving.
Alternative signals could include....
(a) “The train is leaving the station” “The train
is coming back into the station”
(b) The practitioner blows a whistle once to start the trains
moving and twice to go back to the station.
(c) The practitioner waves a green flag or piece of material
to begin moving.
(d) The practitioner waves a red flag for trains to return
to the station
Main Activity Progression - "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends"
(Children build a special station for the both of them to stand in)
- Both stand at the same “station”, on signals from
the practitioner, children take it in turns to travel about the
room and return to the “station”.
- Standing one
behind the other the “train and carriage” link
together in some way, then travel about the room together and return
to the station together, responding to the practitioner’s signal.
(Children are asked to find the best way of travelling
together as a “train and carriage” and the practitioner regularly
changes the “train” - make sure they have “fair
turns”.)
CALM-DOWN ACTIVITIES
- “I TOUCH MY HEAD”
I TOUCH MY HEAD (Children touch their head)
I TOUCH MY FEET (Children touch their feet)
I CURL UP SMALL (Children curl up small)
AND GO TO SLEEP (Children pretend to go to sleep)
BENEFITS OF ACTION KIDS ACTIVITIES “Action Kids” activities
are not only FUN but are designed to further extend the physical,
creative, personal, social and emotional,
communication and language,
and mathematical development of childrens well as their knowledge
of the world.
The activities contained in this plan can, among other things,
encourage children to:-
- count downwards from five.
- listen with enjoyment and respond
clearly, audibly and with confidence to
rhymes and poems.
- observe and identify features associated with
trains and railway stations.
- show an awareness of space, of
themselves, and of others and be able to
- return to the same spot in the room.
- use their imagination and
respond in a variety of ways to see what
they see and hear.
- interact with others, negotiate positions
and take turns.
- maintain attention, concentrate and sit or
stand quietly
when appropriate.
- develop self-confidence and self-esteem.
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Gymnastics -
Card 21
Warm-up Activity - "Buckle My Shoe"
ONE, TWO |
BUCKLE MY SHOE |
(clap) |
(children touch their feet) |
THREE, FOUR |
KNOCK AT THE DOOR |
(clap) |
(children pretend to knock at a door) |
FIVE, SIX |
PICK UP STICKS |
(clap) |
(children bend to the floor) |
SEVEN, EIGHT |
SHUT THE GATE |
(clap) |
(children pretend to push the gate shut) |
NINE, TEN |
A BIG FAT HEN |
(clap) |
(children “flap wings”) |
Main Activity- “Animals”
Children gradually learn to travel in the manner of different animals
e.g.
- Frogs - Jumping like a frog e.g. two-footed bouncing
along the ground. (If children keep their heads up they
are less likely to overbalance. If the nursery has beanbags
shaped like
frogs the
children
could throw their frog in front of them and then “frog-jump” to
pick it up.)
-
Monkeys - Children put their hands and
feet on the floor, make their arms strong and push their
bottoms up into the air. Once in
this position they walk on hands and feet. (They need
to keep their heads up and look where they are going.)
(Can
they monkey-walk sideways
and backwards?)
- Crabs - Children sit on the floor
and put their hands behind them on the floor. They push
up onto strong arms and feet to lift
their bottoms off the ground. In this position they “walk” with
their feet leading them so they can see where they are going.
(When they are safely able to perform this crab action they
can try moving
sideways like a crab instead)
- Horses - Children should “gallop” in
a neat, springy way rather than in a fast, less controlled “gallop” that
rushes around the space. They can have both hands in front
of them and hold the “reins” when they gallop. (They
will accompany the movement with clicking, “galloping” sounds.)
- Snakes - (The adult should make sure the play surface
is suitable for sliding) Children slither and slide on
their tummies and reach forward with their hands to help
pull
themselves along
the ground.
The snakes could also slide on their backs using their
legs
to push them along. When doing this children must look
over their shoulders
to see where they are going.
- Rabbits - To perform “bunny-hops” using
hands and feet, children should make their arms “strong” and
travel very slowly from feet to hands to feet to hands
to feet etc. (Can they travel sideways?)
(ACCOMPANIMENT:
Individual animal actions could be performed to appropriate
music e.g. DISC A - Track 29 - DISC B - Track 31 - DISC
B - Track 5)
Main Activity Progression - "Changing Roles / Levels"
When children have learned how to travel in the manner of several
different animals the practitioner may choose two different animals
with contrasting ways of travelling e.g. “slither like a snake” and “jump
like a frog ”.
- Use percussion to indicate the different animals.
Children respond to the sound.
- Large pictures of the animals
held in the air indicate when to change.
- The practitioner
tells a story which indicates the changing modes of travel.
Apparatus Development: Children can develop these movements on apparatus
e.g. travel between, under and over the apparatus like snakes,
frogs etc. e.g. slide over the apparatus like a snake.
CALM-DOWN ACTIVITIES - “Little Bo Peep”
LITTLE BO PEEP HAS LOST HER SHEEP
AND DOESN’T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM
(Children holding hands in a circle with the practitioner
walking round slowly)
LEAVE THEM ALONE AND THEY’LL COME HOME
BRINGING THEIR TAILS BEHIND THEM
(Children let go of hands, put one hand behind them like
a wiggly tail, creep close to the practitioner and sit down.)
BENEFITS OF ACTION KIDS ACTIVITIES
“
Action Kids” activities are not only FUN but are designed to
further extend the physical, creative, personal, social and emotional,
communication and language, and mathematical development of children
as well as their knowledge of the world. The activities contained
in this activity plan can, among other things, encourage children
to:-
- find one more or less than a number from one to ten
- move with
control and co-ordination
- recognise the changes that
happen to their bodies when they
are active.
- use their imagination when moving like animals.
- recognise
sounds or shapes and respond to what
they hear and see.
- observe and identify features in different
animals.
- develop self-confidence and self-esteem
- dress and undress
independently.
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Games
- Card 34 Warm-up Activity - "Heavy and Light"
Children clap lightly (hardly making any sound) 
Children clap heavily (not for too long!!)
(This could be repeated several times to feel the difference
in weight.)
(The two contrasting activities could be performed to
a rhythm.
Children could use the contrasting claps as an accompaniment
to a nursery rhyme or song.)
(ACCOMPANIMENT: DISC A - Tracks 6, 8, 10, 11, 13
- click to listen, 16 and 18)
PROGRESSIONS - Walk as they clap / use heavy stamping and
light “tip-toes”
Main Activity- “Pushing”
Children have a ball or beanbag each and gently push it along
the ground with their hands. They try to keep their ball
or beanbag just in front of them and under control.
Can they
push their ball or beanbag with other, different
parts of their bodies? e.g. foot, knees,
head, elbow etc.
(When children are exploring within this activity the important
thing
is to emphasise keeping the ball or beanbag closely under
control.)
Main Activity Progression - “Steering”
Several markers are placed in a line some distance apart from
each other.
Children try to steer a ball with their hand in and out
of the markers (like a slalom).
(Children can steer the ball with different parts of their
bodies in order to extend the activity. To further extend it
the markers could be placed closer together.)
Examples of extension activities are:-
- Using either hands or feet children steer the ball in
different directions -forwards, sideways, backwards. (backwards
should be performed with care.
Show children how their hand or foot must be behind the
ball to change its direction.)
- Children extend the movement
into steering the ball in and out of markers or moving
sideways or backwards
between them.
- Children place markers in a different pattern
and create their own pathway of steering in and out of
them.
- Children steer the ball in and out of the markers
and then “shoot” the ball between two “goalposts” sited
against a wall. (Children could work with a partner, take
it in turns to steer and shoot, and count the number of “goals” they
score between them.)
Calm Down Activity - “Creep and Turn”
Children walk slowly (or creep) in and out of each other and
on a signal from the practitioner they turn around slowly on
the spot. On another signal from the practitioner they walk
or creep slowly again. (This can be repeated several times.)
(ACCOMPANIMENT: DISC A - Track 39 could possibly be used.)
Benefits of Action Kids Activities
“ Action Kids” activities are not only FUN but
are designed to further extend the physical, creative, personal,
social and emotional, communication and language, and mathematical
development of children as well as their knowledge of the world.
The activities contained in this activity plan can, among other
things, encourage children to:-
- understand the difference between “heavy” and “light” and
use
appropriate language to describe the actions.
- handle objects safely and with
increasing control and using
different body parts.
- use a range of small equipment
- show an awareness of space.
- move with control and co-ordination.
- understand the agreed
rules of behaviour for games.
- take turns and share
fairly.
- develop self-cofidence and self-esteem
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Dance - Card 47
Warm-up Activity - "I Wiggle my Fingers"
I wiggle my fingers
(Children wiggle their fingers)
I wiggle my toes
(Children wiggle their toes)
I wiggle my bottom
(Children wiggle their bottoms)
and touch my nose
(Children touch their nose with both hands)
(This could be performed sitting or standing, standing
in a circle or
following the practitioner in a line and walking.)
(The actions could also be developed using a familiar
song e.g.
If you’re happy and you know it wiggle your
fingers
(wiggle fingers)
If you’re happy and you know it wiggle your
fingers
(wiggle fingers)
If you’re happy and you know it and you really
want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it wiggle your fingers
(wiggle fingers) etc.)
Main Activity- “Giant Strides and Fairy Steps”
- (These are two contrasting modes of travel that
are good to learn at the same time so that children “feel” the
difference in weight and size of step.)
Children move about the play area with BIG steps.
(Large steps tend to be performed with most of the sole
of the feet on the floor.)
Children should make their
bodies strong, and stretch to make their steps as large
as possible to perform “giant
strides”.
In contrast children should move about the play area with
SMALL, quick steps (small steps are easier to perform
up on the balls of their feet - “tip-toes” to
keep a balanced position.)
(Use a tambourine to stimulate the different types of
travel i.e. strong, slow beats on the tambourine for the “giant
strides” and continuous shaking of the tambourine
for tiny, quick “fairy steps” - or “tip-toes”)
(ACCOMPANIMENT: DISC B - Track 1 - click
here to listen)
Main Activity Progression - “Giants and Fairies
- Stories”
N.B. Further contrasts could be developed through HEAVY
and LIGHT.
- Children could respond appropriately to a story about
giants and fairies or “Jack and the Beanstalk” (e.g.
Jack tip-toeing to creep around the giant’s kingdom
and the giant striding around his castle.)
OR the giant
slowly wakes up and strides around his kingdom.
His fairy friends don’t want to get trampled so
they wait until he has his tea before they come out to
play.
(ACCOMPANIMENT:
The story and percussion or DISC B - Track 2 - click to
listen)
- Children could make up their own stories
and move imaginatively to them.
(ACCOMPANIMENT: The children’s own stories.)
- Nursery Rhymes could also be developed
to emphasise stamping and tip-toe.
e.g. “The Grand Old Duke of York”
(ACCOMPANIMENT: Sing the Nursery Rhyme or DISC A - Tracks
20 or 21)
Calm Down Activity - “Go to Sleep”
Children walk slowly (or creep) in and out of
each other and on a signal from the practitioner they turn
around slowly on the spot. On another signal from the practitioner
they walk or creep slowly again. (This can be repeated
several times.)
(ACCOMPANIMENT: DISC A - Track 39 could possibly be
used.)
Benefits of Action Kids Activities
“ Action Kids” activities are not only FUN
but are designed to further extend the physical, creative,
personal, social and emotional, communication and language,
and mathematical development of children as well as their
knowledge of the world. The activities contained in this
activity plan can, among other things, encourage children
to:-
- recognise repeated sounds and sound patterns and match
movements to music.
- speak clearly and audibly with confidence
and control.
- listen with enjoyment and respond to songs
and stories.
- use their imagination in dance and imaginative
role-play.
- use language to imagine and recreate characters.
- retell
narratives in the correct order.
- select and use activities
independently.
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Parachute Games - Card 73
Warm-up Activity - "Move and Shake"
Children skip or gallop about the play space in
response to a tambourine sound. They stop in a
space and shake all over in response to a tambourine.
(Repeat this several times using the same actions or different shaking
actions which could be:-
"shake your arms; shake your bottom;
shake your head; shake your feet" etc.)
If children are ready they can be moved on to respond to music.
(ACCOMPANIMENT:
DISC B - Track 13 "Move and Shake" - click here to listen)
Main Activity- “Sunken Treasure”
The practitioner puts together a "treasure chest" of
items.
(This treasure chest can contain things connected with a particular
theme, e.g. colours, creatures, wooden shapes etc or could be items
collected from children in the room).
The "treasure chest" is placed under the centre
of the parachute and children hold the
parachute at waist height to create some waves on the sea.
The practitioner sends some "divers" to retrieve
a piece of treasure from
under the waves. e.g.
Can they find a piece that belongs to
them?
Can they find something that they think they know the colour
of?
Can they find..... something of a particular colour;
something small and cold;
something wooden;
something bristly etc......
(Repeat the activity until everything has been retrieved.)
Main Activity Progression - “Pondlife”
Children all sit around the edge of the parachute, gripping it
with both hands and
putting legs underneath the silk. The practitioner tells a "story" and
the children
respond with appropriate parachute movements and sounds!
Explain that the parachute is a pond or a stretch of water -
describe the way it ripples in the breeze - the sound of the
wind in the bullrushes, bees buzzing, birds singing
etc. Encourage the sound effects!
Encourage children to contribute suggestions which can be incorporated,
e.g. a dog decides to go for a swim; pond skaters scuttle across
the surface. Maybe there are sharks and submarines etc!
Calm Down Activity - “Gateway”
The adult makes a "gateway" with spots, markers or equipment
and a short distance away makes another circle of markers. Children
walk slowly anywhere about the play space and when the adult touches
or calls the name of child s/he tip-toes quietly through the gateway
and sits in the circle in silence. (The aim is to have all children
sitting in the circle without anyone saying a word.)
Benefits of Action Kids Activities
“ Action Kids” activities are not only FUN but are
designed to further extend the physical, creative, personal, social
and emotional, communication and language, and mathematical development
of children as well as their knowledge of the world. The activities
contained in this activity plan can, among other things, encourage
children to:-
- maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly when appropriate.
- sustain attentive listening and respond to what they have heard
with appropriate actions.
- use their imagination in role-play
and stories.
- explore and recognise colour, texture, shape and
form.
- respond in a variety of ways to what they hear, see and
feel.
- move with control and co-ordination.
- work as part of a group
and understand that there needs to be agreed values and codes
of behaviour for
people working together.
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Sound and Music - Card 81
Warm-up Activity - "I Wiggle my Fingers"
I Wiggle my fingers (Children wiggle
fingers)
I Wiggle my toes (Children wiggle their toes)
I Wiggle my bottom (Children wiggle their bottoms)
And touch my nose (Children touch their nose
with both hands)
(This could be performed sitting or standing,
standing in a circle or following the adult in a line and walking)
(The actions could also be developed using a familiar song e.g."
If you're happy and you know it wiggle your fingers etc.")
Main Activity- “Move and Shake”
Children skip, gallop and walk rhythmically about the playspace
in response
to a tambourine beat. They stop in a space when the tambourine is
struck and then shake bodies vigorously in response to a shaking
tambourine.
Children practise this several times.
Reproducing the beat of the music on the tambourine, the practitioner
then asks
children to walk rhythmically about the room and move all parts of
their bodies as they go.
They stop in a space and try shaking different parts of their bodies
as suggested by the practitioner. e.g. shake your arms; shake your
shoulders; shake your bottom; shake your head (sideways like "No");
shake your hands; shake your feet; shake your everything!
When these have been explored, children listen to the music and
identify when they move and when they stand and shake something!
DANCE FRAMEWORK
(a) Move about rhythmically using all parts of the body
(b) Stand and shake a part identified by the practitioner
(a) and (b) are repeated several times and on (b) a different part
is shaken each time.
(ACCOMPANIMENT:
DISC B - Track 13 "Move and Shake" - click here to listen)
Main Activity Progression - “Move and Choose”
As above, children move about rhythmically using all parts of the
body but then when they stand and shake a body part, they can choose
which body parts they shake.
If children are ready for working with a partner, the next progression
could be....
"Follow-my-leader" moving rhythmically about the room
then stand and face each other to shake a chosen part of the body.
Change the leader for each travelling part of the activity.
Calm Down Activity - “Humpty Dumpty”
HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL (Children sit quietly on the floor)
HUMPTY DUMPTY HAD A GREAT FALL (Children lie down flat and wide on
the floor)
ALL THE KING'S HORSES AND ALL THE KINGS MEN COULDN'T PUT HUMPTY TOGETHER
AGAIN (Children slowly curl up small on the floor and "go to
sleep")
Benefits of Action Kids Activities
“ Action Kids” activities are not only FUN but are
designed to further extend the physical, creative, personal, social
and emotional, communication and language, and mathematical development
of children as well as their knowledge of the world. The activities
contained in this activity plan can, among other things, encourage
children to:-
- listen with enjoyment and respond to rhymes, songs and
music.
- sing simple songs from memory.
- recognise repeated sounds and
sound patterns and match
movements to music.
- select and use activities independently
- make decisions.
- move with control and co-ordination
- show awareness of space,
of themselves and others
- be confident to try new activities,
initiate ideas and speak
in familiar groups
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