Miss Luci's family’s favorite ways to STAY ACTIVE in the colder months in Chicago!

• Heading out on a “hike” to North Park Nature Village, Botanical Garden, or Morton Arb (our favorite is to drive around and find all the trolls by parking and walking to them)

• Follow the leader outside or inside, stationary or on a path walking

• Touch a spot (touch 3 spots in your play area/ house and time each child to see if they can beat their own time)

• Mirror (stand facing another person and do everything they’re doing but as if you’re looking in a mirror)

• Take a Skip & Scoot class!! (Shameless plug!) =)

• Wheelbarrow (the younger the child, hold closer to the hips), bear crawl, or crab walk tag, races, or collecting items around the play area to put in a bucket

• Indoors obstacle course (pillows, blankets, pot holders, painters tape, chairs, etc use your imagination)

• Dance party, dance show (make up a show to perform to the adults), air band music perforance

• Animal Charades

• Red light, green light (add more lights and make up your own movements- e.g. purple light means go backwards)

• Altitude trampoline park

• Outdoors pathway practice (take turns making pathways through the obstacles around you- “go around the tree, under the bike rack, touch the fence, hop to the bench, and back to start”

• Opposite day game: everything you say to do, the child does the opposite (reach up high/ they reach down low, move forward/ they move backward, etc.)

• Find obstacles in nature (log for a balance beam, rocks for balance buckets, low branches for tunnel crawling, etc.)

• Frozen tag: find something red and something blue (pool noodle, ball, bean bag, hat, etc.) the person holding the blue thing is Elsa and freezes people, the person holding the red thing performs an act of true love to unfreeze the person. Switch roles. 

• Upside-down (practice going upside down by lying on back and lifting feet into the air, try a bicycle, make a V with legs, scissor your legs, kick like you’re swimming, flex and point feet, make your legs dance to music, etc.)

• Cardio triangle challenge: 5-4-3-2-1 perform 3 activities in repetitions of 5-4-3-2-1. (Say you choose jumping jacks, bunny hops, and lunges. First start with 5 of each, then decrease by one from there.)

• Backwards: tell your child that everywhere they go for the next 15 minutes, they need to turn around and get there backwards or sideways. 

• Messy room: get pompoms, crumpled paper, small balls, etc. divide your play area in two with a line down the middle (can use a blanket). Have children try to throw all of the objects onto the other side of the line to keep their room clean for 60 seconds. Then hvae them count to see who has less. Do multiple rounds.

• Plank, wall-sit, or burpee contest!

• We’d love to hear from you about your favorite ways to stay active! Drop them in the comments below!

Fidget, go potty, wiggle, ask for a snack, repeat. Why do kids move so much?!

Fidget, potty, wiggle, snack, repeat. Why DO kids get so restless sometimes? Does it drive you absolutely bonkers, too, when your kids won’t sit still?! Lol. I can’t tell you how many parents have said to me, “Your classes would be SO great for my child. They really need to “get their wiggles out”! The good news is kids are usually not trying to drive us nuts-o with their squirming, and…

…the truth behind the wiggling can be explained by science!

Just like a lot of other things that kids do, the reason for all the wiggles and giggles can be traced back to science. My hope is that with more understanding of WHY your kiddos wiggle so much, it may help expand your patience and sanity in those frustrating moments. It did for me! Stay with me here...it’s actually FASCINATING and it all starts in the brain… 

The Reticular Activating System (RAS for short) is a network of neurons found at the base of the human brain. Both kids and adults have it. This circuit of neurons plays a HUGE role in our ability to maintain attention and alertness throughout our day. If our body and brain begin to tire or lose interest in an activity, our body’s natural response is to do something to signal our RAS back into an alert state. When children fidget, oftentimes they are trying to reestablish alertness- not misbehaving for the sake of misbehaving- because one of the ways we can “wake up” a tired RAS is to move! And, let’s not forget that children are already working with a shorter attention span capacity than adults, as well!  

A tired reticular activating system (RAS) in action…

I was watching my son the other day during a virtual school call. It was the end of the day- over 4 hours into on-screen learning, a recipe for screen overload disaster! Just like other days, he started out fresh in the morning- energized from a night’s rest, eating breakfast, and seeing his friends in the little squares. His RAS was in good shape, neurons in their awake state! But, as the hours went on, he notoriously couldn’t sit still…like really, just could not. His body wouldn’t allow it, and now we know why!

But, how can we “wake up” our RAS if we get tired?

Glad you asked! And, chances are you have done it already a bunch of times in your life! Humans wake up our RAS by activating our senses- opening a window to feel a blast of cold air, running up and down the stairs or moving our body in some way- such as wiggling!, squeezing a sensory ball, smelling fresh baked cookies, drinking coffee (think about it- smell, taste, touch, and sight are ignited when taking a sip of hot coffee), turning music up loud, talking to or laughing with a friend, and anything else that calls our attention back to our physical body and the moment at hand. Ever slapped yourself on the cheeks a few times when driving fatigue sets in? Lol. We are trying to activate our RAS to stay alert in order to drive safely.

Please DO try this at home!

So, if it’s not bothersome to others for your child to stretch, squeeze a sensory ball, or take a movement break, these can be great tools for success in refocusing. Movement songs by by Laurie Berkner, Jazzy Ash, or one of my faves from childhood, Raffi, can often do the trick! You might find your little ones have increased stillness and attention afterward. Just one more reason that moving in beneficial to your child!

For a list of additional ideas that can activate your child’s RAS during virtual school or otherwise, you can read 16 ways to activate the RAS written by Lisa Van Gemert. And, this great quote has always stuck with me from Gill Connell and Cheryl McCarthy. They write, “Insisting a kid sit still when it’s not absolutely necessary will only lead to frustration and failure. His biological need to move will ultimately overtake his desire to please you.” 

Shake, shake, shake our sillies out…

All of this is to say that wiggling oftentimes does NOT mean a child is “acting out” or intentionally being naughty, and as trying as it might be to you and other people in the same room, your child is likely tired or bored and trying hard to stay focused. The other part of the time, kids may be moving in order to gain body awareness and vestibular stimulation (balance) which they learn through practice in the early years of life. I don’t expect this information will magically give you endless patience, but it may allow you, as it did me, the opportunity to step back, realize the likely cause, and ultimately, get less annoyed. The trick is to recognize the fine line between a child’s misbehavior- usually in search of attention- and simply their body systems at work. Cheers to expanding our capacity for patience and more knowledge about our kids overall!

What happens to human bodies in the cold? And, what can we do to keep our littlest ones safe when playing outside in the winter?

What happens to human bodies (esp kids) in the cold? 

When we're out in the cold, our brain sends a message to the rest of our body to gather blood in our core/torso area. This happens in order to protect and keep our vital organs warm. While this is a great response (called thermoregulation if you find this stuff interesting like me), it also means that our extremities get less blood and oxygen. Our muscles will tire more easily and may feel more "stiff", and this is pronounced in children since they have less body fat and muscle mass, both insulators and heat producers. Additionally, when blood flows towards our centers and our veins and arteries narrow, it can slow down information processing. So, if you notice your child seeming slightly "zoned out" or as I said before, not as engaged as usual, this is a probable cause. (If your child ever becomes lethargic and/or seems very zoned out, it's time to go inside (and have some hot chocolate)! 

So, what can we do to keep our littlest ones safe when playing outside in the cold?  

It is of course not news to you that it's most important to bundle up and remember that our children's bodies will likely feel colder than ours because of their size and lower muscle/fat mass. It's better to come wearing too much and take things off as needed than starting out class a little cold. Next, we should allow our kids more time to move through physical activities, and I recommend NOT taking part in any physical activities that require extreme muscular stretching and/or contorting. Since their muscles aren't as warm/limber, injuries can occur more readily in cold weather. Third, if our children seem to need more info processing time for motor planning and learning while outdoors when it's cold, we should give them this extra time and offer them more help/ spotting than usual for safety.

Sequencing, patterning, & repetition... Let's go beyond the buzz words...️

Our main goal at Skip & Scoot is to exercise kids' brains as well as bodies! We believe very strongly in the brain-body connection and are simply fascinated by the occurring relationship.

Sequencing. Patterning. Repetition.

As educators, parents, and caregivers, we hear these words often in relation to our children’s development. But, what do they actually mean and why should we care???

In short, young children need oodles of repetition (practice) in order to master a skill, whether it be physical, cognitive, or emotional. We may wonder sometimes, "why isn't my child grasping this concept even though s/he's been exposed to it over and over?" Time and practice is what their brains need to make neural connections, and there is a wide range of normal in terms of how long this process takes.

It’s just another area of our children’s development that requires patience on everyone’s part. I think it’s good to keep this in mind when kiddos ask to play the same song or do the same activity over and over again…and again…and again…right? Their end goal is to achieve physical and cognitive mastery and until they do, they will likely want to practice, practice, practice.

Your children learn about sequencing at a very young age with YOU! Each day you have routines- eat, bath, read, sleep, etc. Family routines are a kind of sequence. Patterning is a little bit more complicated in that it includes recurring actions.

An example of abstract patterning (vs. visual patterning) is moving from slow to fast to slow to fast, etc. We do this a lot in our @skipandscoot classes! Going from one speed to another and repeating this pattern is tricky for young brains and bodies to process, so we practice! We are asking your children to let go of one idea (move slow) and switch to a new idea (move fast) and back again. That's a lot of thinking!

Try this at home: ask your young child to move slowly (like they're walking through peanut butter). Next, ask your child to move quickly (like a bear is chasing them). Now ask your child to do these two things consecutively 3X. (Peanut butter, Bear, PB, Bear, PB, Bear).

-What happened?

-Was it more challenging for them to do the latter team task?

-Did you observe them thinking about it more?

-Did they need help?

Of course, it all depends on the after age and degree of difficulty of the tasks, but patterned movements required more thought.

This is just one way we can help our children exercise their brains AND bodies to promote kid’s fitness. We love kids. We love fitness. And, we are fascinated by kid’s fitness! Questions/Comments below!

Doing it for them or helping them learn? A how-to for cognitive mapping, hands-on physical learning, and adult assisting for children ages 0-4 years!

My mission with Skip & Scoot is to give my tiny participants the best classes/sessions possible by moving and exercising their bodies and minds. As they move, they are building neural pathways, and truly learning through play. When all the adults in the room support this mission, classes run more smoothly and are more effective and fun for everyone!

But, sometimes it can feel awkward to physically assist a child if you haven’t been taught how to do it. Don’t worry! I’ve got you! Here are some tips for how best to facilitate physical learning for your babies, toddlers, and young children...

• Break out your athleisure. Come to class wearing comfortable clothes yourself, ‘cus you’ll be moving, too. And, bring water for both of you!  

• Get right in there! Hands-on and specifically hand-over-hand assistance (literally placing your hands on top of theirs) for children is an excellent technique to teach new physical skills. Though it might feel like you’re “doing things for them” their brain is picking up and mapping the physical movements you’re guiding them through. These maps build neural connections that lead to physical skill mastery, after many practice trials with you and then on their own.

• Modeling…is another significant way children learn! You might feel silly crawling under a ridiculously low hurdle or flying around the room like an airplane, but it’s so valuable for two big reasons. (1) It’ll likely help your child feel more comfortable trying the skill since they’re already comfortable with you and (2) they watch us closely and then emulate our actions. If you are stretching your arms out wide like an airplane, chances are they will too. If you are getting down low and crawling, they will too. Plus, it’s fun. Win-win.

• Reinforce. The leader of the class will give age-appropriate directions, but most of the time kids need to hear these instructions more than once. This is where you can really help by repeating the directions and/or breaking dual-task directions into single-task ones (e.g. if the direction given is to “pick up a ball and put it in the bucket”, you can break it up by saying “pick up the ball” first and then, “put the ball in the bucket” after). And if they complete both tasks, successful learning is happening! To increase difficulty over time, you can add dual-task and triple-task directions (completing two and three tasks in a row) into your child’s daily routine to see if they’re ready. Soon, you’ll be saying, “Brush your teeth, go to the bathroom, put on your clothes, and meet me at the door!” and they may just do it!

• Leave your hesitation at the door! I think sometimes as a parent we can feel like we want our children to be in the driver’s seat of their own learning and we don’t want to “do too much”. I understand the sentiment, but I’ve witnessed how much little people benefit from adult assistance and leadership. They observe and take in a lot everyday, so their brains are constantly growing and processing input and stimuli. Clear directions and boundaries in lessons can help a child feel and be safe while learning, allow them to evaluate their own skills based on your cues, and introduce them to new movements and physical possibilities. Also, giving too much leeway and freedom may lead to confusion. I’ve watched many times where a direction is given and a child sees something they’d rather do, so they go and do that other thing. Sometimes a child will gravitate towards a task that they have previously mastered because they can do it already and it’s easy! It’s our job to encourage kids to try new things beyond any discomfort that may arise. If they come out on the other side having mastered a new skill, their faces light up, they feel confident and proud, and their skill base grows.

• Focus on your child, and focus on the activity. Ok, listen, I get it. I’m a parent too and we all need time to zone out. I’m right there with you! Seriously. But, at a mommy-and-me class? Probably not the best time. There have been parents and caregivers on phones throughout my class and it just doesn’t work well. Maybe I’ve pissed you off and you’re feeling like, Listen! Don’t judge me. I have to get work done and I’m a busy mom! And, you’re right! This post is not meant to judge anyone or make anyone feel like they’re doing anything “wrong”. If you need to do stuff, and we all do, then totally do it. But, it takes away from everyone’s experience if you do it in a child-oriented class because it’s a distraction for you and for them.

• Bring the lessons and teachings home. In our classes, we work on various physical skills and do movement songs. I always encourage parents to practice anything we do in class at home because the more “trials”, or times a child practices a physical task, the closer they will get to mastery of that skill. If your child is practicing a skill incorrectly, help them with gentle corrections and guidance. They will no doubt love your attention!

Thank you for reading and I hope this was helpful! Feel free to email me with any questions! See you in class- let’s play and learn together!

Sports parents unite! Why loading everyone into the car on a Saturday morning for physical activities really is worth it.

I was at a crossroads in my life, living in San Diego, working at a non-profit called San Diego Center for Children, knowing I needed my next steps in life to materialize. I wasn’t entirely happy with life at present, and I knew I needed to make some big changes. But, what exactly? It was 2am, I couldn’t sleep, and I was digging deep, sitting with the silence, waiting impatiently for a bigger purpose to make itself known.

And, it did. That night.

I needed to work directly with children. At the time, Spring 2007, my title was Development Coordinator at the SDCC and I worked primarily to secure in-kind donors, help plan and run fundraising events, and speak publicly to raise awareness about the work we did for SD community families. As more of a hobby, on days when my workload was light, I helped with the kids’ recreational therapy program. The Rec Therapist and I organized physical games for the resident children to play, and, quite honestly, this was the most interesting and fulfilling part of my job. My next steps began to reveal themselves to me that night as I thought about what really drives me. I believed then and still believe now in the powerful and healing nature of physicality, for adults and children alike. In the wee hours that morning, I sat researching higher ed programs related to children, physical activity, teaching, coaching, and wellness. That search culminated in the fall of 2007, when I began the Master’s of Arts program for Physical Education at Teachers College, Columbia University in NYC.

At first glance, sports can seem simple. Show up, play, learn, leave. But, in my experiences as a teacher/coach, they are much more than that. Personalities reveal themselves immediately when children engage in gross motor physical activities because the exercises require direct communication, teamwork, self-confidence, spatial awareness, understanding of rules and strategies, problem solving, quick thinking, and physical growth. I could go on. If a child is prone to giving up when something gets hard, we see that. If a child is prone to taking over and not working well with others, we see that. If a child includes and encourages peers and has a developing self-confidence, we see that. We, physical educators and coaches (and parent volunteers), teach children life skills inherent in game play in between tying 10,000 shoes.

So, why change out of your cozy pjs and make your coffee to-go on the weekend for your kids’ sports activities?

Grit. There is an athletic grit that, in my experience, can’t be learned anywhere but the playing field. While pushing ourselves beyond our preconceived physical limits, we come to know an inner power beyond our intellect. It is almost primal and animalistic because it is purely visceral. We connect to our bodies in a way that brings us inner strength and empowerment. These traits translate directly to self-confidence.

Respect. On the way to sports practices and classes, my husband and I remind our kids to listen to their coaches, follow directions, and do their best. Our kids know that we expect them to greet their coaches upon arrival and thank them when they leave. Sounds simple, but in my experience as a teacher and coach, I have observed some room for improvement and reinforcement with these fundamental social skills in our little ones. When we respect others, we respect ourselves and the activities in which we take part. This is a simple and important concept for children to learn in my opinion.

Coping. It is so interesting to observe the different ways children react to successes, failures, and disappointments during physical games. We, teachers and coaches, see everything from acceptance to aggression, from complaining to tears, from avoidance to perseverance, and pretty much everything else. These reactions present teaching opportunities about how to endure disappointments and enjoy successes gracefully. No human in the world always gets the results s/he wants all of the time, so this lesson is applicable during all stages of life.

Engagement. There is nothing like athletics to bring us into the here and now. We all are met with a plethora of distractions from the second we wake up in the morning, when our phones alert us that our first text message has arrived. When we are physically active and present, it gives our brains a focal point, a channel, to dismiss all other outside stimuli. This is a treat for our brains, since they don’t often get to work this way, to purposefully ignore distractions and say no to multi-tasking. When I exercise, I feel like my whole body, brain included, resets and takes a deep breath. It is therapeutic. And, we can’t ignore all of the new stressors and responsibilities that our children face with the rise of technology. It is wonderful to have access to computers, iPhones, and tablets, and also very intense. It makes me feel lucky to be able to share a tool with our little ones that may enable them to step away from the noise and recenter themselves.

Needless to say, I’m a believer in the benefits of physical activity. Are you? I’d love to hear your thoughts below! ~Luci Grause, Skip & Scoot owner