Children and physical play cannot be separated. In fact, children aged 3 to 4 years old need to spend at least 180 minutes in a variety of types of physical activities at any intensity, of which at least 60 minutes is moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity, spread throughout the day; more is better according to World Health Organization (WHO) in their new guidelines. What are some physical play that Choo Choo Train conducts for three-years-olds? Check out these favourites! 

Come and See Me!

• Teacher stands across the room from the toddlers.
• Teacher then demonstrates different locomotor movements – crawling, walking, marching, running, etc.
• Then the teacher asks the toddlers one by one to choose which movement they want to make to move across the room.
• On the command, “1, 2, 3, Come and see me!” the toddler makes her way to the teacher.
• When she reaches, teacher celebrates her either with a hug or a high five or pick her up and spin around, etc.
• Teacher sends her back to the other side of the room and asks her to choose another form of movement.

Lost & Found

• Teacher uses stickers, spots, toys, pieces of paper, or anything else to make a trail on the floor.
• Then the teacher tells the child that something has been lost, like a stuffed animal or a toy.
• Teachers hide the lost object at the end of the trail and have the child follow the trail to find the object.
• Teacher encourages the child to step on each object in the trail to work on balance and motor planning.

1, 2, 3, Crash!

• Teachers have the children build towers with a different number of blocks each time.
• They start with 1 block, then, 2, 3, and so on.
• They count the blocks as they are stacked.

• When they reach the goal, they count the number of blocks out loud and yell, “Crash!” at the end.
• Teachers have the toddlers knock the tower down with parts of their body or another object.

Walk the ABCs and 123s

• Using sidewalk chalk, teacher writes some alphabets or numbers in large print on the ground.
• Teacher then holds a toddler’s hand and walk each alphabet or number while saying what it is.
• They walk fast and slow.
• Teacher then makes a race out of it. Teacher says an alphabet or a number and see if the child can go fast to that alphabet or number and walk its shape. 
• The toddler is given a chance to say a letter or a number and teacher walks the shape.

Teeter Totter

• Teacher sits on the floor facing a toddler with their legs spread.
• Teacher holds the child’s hands and lean backward while the child leans forward.
• Then, teacher leans forward while the child leans backwards.
• They go fast and slow in rhythm to music.

Lights On, Lights Off

• Teacher says “Lights on” and turns the light on.
• While the lights are on, the teacher sings a song or say a nursery rhyme with the toddlers moving around the room.
• When the song is finished teacher says, “Lights off” and turns the lights off.
• Teacher says “Shhh” and the toddlers be very quiet and still.
• When the lights go off they freeze like a statue in a different position and try balancing on different body parts.

Balloon Mania

• Of course, the teachers always have balloons on their hands as they provide a lot of opportunities for fun toddlers activities!
• Teacher blows up some balloons of different colours, show the toddlers how to bat a balloon, and work together to try to keep the balloon up in the air.
• Other times, the teacher has a child lie on the floor and she holds the balloon over the child and drops it so he can kick it or hit it while lying down. Or teacher has him name the part of his body that the balloon hits.
• In a different activity, while standing, teacher names a different body part and have the child hit the balloon with that part of her body.

If you would love to try any of these activities at home, here are some tips on how the teachers at Choo Choo Train keep it extra fun every time:

• Your toddler may not be able to do all of these activities. Make sure to help out whenever necessary to make sure your little one experiences success.
• Don’t rush and take your time with each activity. 
• Give plenty of praise when your toddler is successful.
• Let your imagination go. The more you are able to pretend and act silly, the more fun it will be!
• Use your imagination and modify games using different objects.
• Try to include more people in the activities.
• Add fun music whenever you can.