Musical Popcorn

POP, POP, POPCORN!

Did you know that yesterday was National Popcorn Day?! One of our Physical Therapists created a fun gross motor challenge to celebrate! Today’s challenge is to play a game of “Musical Popcorn”. Grab some friends, play some music, and have fun popping the popcorn! Click the link below to watch the video.

 

Click here for the video!

 

How to Play:

Have each player stand in a circle while the music begins. You will quickly toss a ball around the circle until  the music stops. The person in possession of the ball is out! Play until there is one winner. This  is an active way to practice your catching and throwing. 

 

Skills Addressed:

Motor Planning: allows your child to remember and perform the necessary steps to complete  an action, such as stepping over an object on the floor, initiating a jumping sequence, or tying  their shoes. 

Catching: this skill teaches your child to coordinate opposite sides of their body to perform a  task together. To complete a catch, you must have the hand eye coordination, timing, and skill  to bring both hands or arms to midline and trap the ball against your chest or squeeze it in your  hands. Try cueing your child to first “trap” the ball against their chest and then progress to only  catching using hands.  

Throwing:  there are many progressions to a mature throwing motion. If your child is not yet  maturely throwing one handed with overhead extension, try throwing with two hands over the  head or a single arm underhand throw. This will teach them to learn the forward motion and  timing of release in order to throw towards a target.  

 

Ways to make this game more challenging is to decrease the ball size and increase the distance  between the players. Have a blast playing “Musical Popcorn”!

 

For more gross motor fun,  follow our social media platforms!

Facebook: Project Play Therapy, LLC

 Instagram: @ProjectPlayTherapy

 Twitter: @ProjectPlayLLC

Youtube: Subscribe Here