Teaching children joy: Body Part 1

 Teaching Children Joy:

The Joy of the body

"If you could give our children just one gift, what would it be?"

"All Children have an inherent ability to radiate many kinds of joy."  Some joys are innate and need to be preserved in children; the joys of faith and receptivity to the spirit, spontaneous delight, interest and curiosity, trust, honesty, and condor." (From Teaching children joy by Linda and Richard Eyre)

I've been reading a really interesting book that had prompted some fun learning experiences.  Teaching children Joy by Linda and Richard Eyre is a fun guide for parents with young children to help nourish and strengthen these joys that children are born with.

I'd love to share our journeys in discovering these joys in a several part series.  

Today we start with:

The joy of the body Part 1

 

Learning to name the body parts

"Simon says, touch your toes."

A couple of fun games to teach this is: "Simon Says" and "The Hoky Poky". 

"Simon says, touch your nose."

 Fluttershy (age 4) knew everything we did today, but Rarity (age 2) didn't.  It was good for her to see her sister point to everything I asked her.  She really good at following her sister.  At her age she's so much more advanced than her sister was at her age thanks to Fluttershy being a good example and sharing her knowledge with her sister.

"Simon says touch both your elbows."

"Simon says, raise your left arm."

"Simon says, touch your head with both hands."

"Simon says, put both hands and feet in the air"

"Simon says, stick out our thumb."  Like her version?

 Playing "The Hoky Poky".

 

You put your left foot in.

You put your right arm in.

Rarity need some help from daddy for balance on this one.

You put your head in.

We added you put your elbow in.

During the next few weeks we will be doing lots of neat activities.  I think Rarity (age 2)  will really learn a lot from these.