sensory motor activity

Activity session for sense and movement stimulation – 4 lessons for carrying out activities with the GYMBOX

Recommended for the ages of: 1-2
Under the guidance of Orna El’ad, physical education teacher (Kibutsim Seminar), certified instructor and developmental accompanier in the Feldenkrais method (Boston) and the Shel’hav method- Child space (at Asaf Haro’fe).

Lesson No. 1 – practicing walking skills

Work with the half circles (non-obligatory, can also use stairs or tunnel). Recommended from the time at which the baby starts his first steps.

Point of origin: The half circles are connected as one circle and then laid on the floor
1. Standing in front of the circle, entering and exiting the circle foot by foot
2.  Standing in front of the circle, entering the circle and walking backwards foot by foot
3.  Standing at the side of the circle, inserting the right foot, and then the left foot. Exiting the circle in the same order (the practice of side walking).
4. Standing in front of the circle, inserting one foot, and passing the other above the circle.
5. Standing in front of the circle, treading on the nearest side and entering/exiting the circle in the same way (can also be exercised with steps)
6. Walking on the circle’s edge, attaching the circle in an “S” shape and walking on the edge of the half circles.
7. Standing inside the circle, taking one leg out and walking around the circle with the outer foot (one foot is the axis foot).

Origin point:  The circle halves are connected, and the circle is laid on the floor like a wheel
8. Crawling through the circle and coming out through the other side
9. Attaching the circle to the tunnel- crawling through the circle and coming out of the tunnel on the other side.
10. Lying inside the circle and rolling from side to side (from the belly to the back and the other way round).

Lesson No. 2 – The practice of walking, crawling and climbing skills – working with steps, a slide and balls

1. Climbing the steps, sitting on the slide, and sliding down.
2. Climbing the steps, lying on the belly, extending the arms in the forward direction and sliding down
3. climbing the slope and going down the stairs
4. crawling through the tunnel (additionally- the child can bring back a ball that is left at the end of the tunnel)
5. To exchange the ball inside the tunnel (the infant would be on one side of the tunnel, and the instructor on the other side).
6. The infant sits in front of the slope and catches a ball that is rolled down from the upper side of the slide.
7. The infant sits in front of the slope of the slide and rolls a ball upwards.

Lesson No. 3 – Practicing balancing skills – Working with a balance surface

Point of origin: The infant sits at the center of the plate
1. The instructor turns the plate in both directions gently.
2. Tilting the plate from side to side gently, backwards and forwards.
3. Moving the plate continuously (to the right, backwards, to the left, forwards).
4. The infant attempts to move the plate with the help of body motions.
5. The infant sits at the end of the plate, brings his feet down to the floor and will try to move his legs in order to turn the plate.

Point of origin: The infant lies on his belly at the plate’s center
6. The infant will try to move the plate with the help of body motions.
7. The infant will bring his arms down to the floor, he will move the arms on the floor and try to rotate the plate.
8. The Infant lays his feet on the floor, with the feet’s help he rotates the plate.

Lesson No. 4 – Practicing crawling and balancing skills – working with half circles, half a little cylinder and half a big cylinder

Point of origin: The purple half circles are affixed to the half big cylinder (yellow) on both ends
1. The infant passes over the pillow by crawling or walking
2. The infant climbs up the yellow half cylinder and climbs down (pacing/jumping).

Point of origin: The purple half circles are affixed to the big half cylinder (yellow) at the center, they are not adjacent
3. Passing over bow-hurdles on the yellow big half-cylinder.

Point of origin: The yellow half-cylinder is assembled on the purple half-circles and becomes a swing, the infant is showed how to stabilize and balance himself with the help of his arms or body
4. Laying on the swing (belly/back) and swinging from side to side
5. Sitting on the swing, and regular swinging.
6. Sitting on the swing when this time the legs are on the yellow half/cylinder, and then the infant is swung from side to side.
7. Starting from the age of a year and a half or in accordance with the infant’s size, the turquoise half-cylinder is added to the yellow half/cylinder to from a whole cylinder, and exercise num. 5 can be conducted. Exercise num. 6 is this time conducted when the legs are laid on the purple half circles.