Three stages of morning exercises
Gymnastics usually consists of three stages. The action begins with drill exercises. They are replaced by movement in a circle, children walking and running. At the same time, the respiratory system is improved and blood circulation is actively working.
After this, children move directly to the complex of general developmental exercises that are appropriate for their age. And after that - jumping or running in place. The routine ends with exercises to restore breathing. Sometimes the choir reads chants and poems about the exercises done.
The importance of morning exercises in the first junior group of preschool educational institutions
Morning exercises are an element of the daily routine designed to strengthen and maintain the health of children, raise their emotional tone and set them up for further activities.
Goals and objectives of morning exercises for children 1.5–3 years old
The educational goals of morning exercises are universal for preschoolers of any age and boil down to:
- formation, development and improvement of motor skills (for children 1.5–3 years old, this goal is the dominant one, since younger preschoolers are just learning to coordinate their movements, determine the direction of movements of their arms, legs, and torso);
- promoting health (forming correct posture, preventing flat feet, developing a beautiful gait);
- fostering a culture of health (children learn to take care of their health and learn the basics of physical education);
- stimulating interest in sports;
- developing the ability to coordinate one’s actions with the actions of other people;
- nurturing personal qualities (determination, independence, hard work).
Morning exercises create a positive emotional mood in children
To achieve the goals set in the first junior group of a preschool educational institution (DOU), the following tasks are aimed at:
- “awakening” the baby’s body from sleep (even taking into account the fact that preschoolers walk or drive some distance to kindergarten, many of them are in a sleepy state due to early rise);
- activation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems of the body, organs and channels of perception of the surrounding world (mainly through running and jumping);
- strengthening the musculoskeletal system of children (through repetition of exercises to train the muscles of the shoulder girdle, torso, arms and legs);
- increasing the performance of children (gymnastics helps saturate tissues and organs with oxygen, which means children become more energetic);
- ensuring an organized start to the day (children perform movements together, and all subsequent routine moments in kindergarten also “by inertia” occur harmoniously);
- switching kids to joint activities (even if during the gathering of children in a group the children were playing different games and it was almost impossible to distract them, gymnastics will allow them to switch to a common activity);
- acquaintance with different sports (children not only learn the name, but also correlate the verbal description with the image, try on some sports activities, for example, skates).
Techniques for conducting morning exercises in the first junior group
Like any other activity, morning exercise requires careful selection of how you interact with your work. Traditionally, 4 types of techniques are used.
Verbal techniques
The speech of an adult is of enormous importance for the development of a child. Especially if this concerns children 1.5–3 years old who are just starting to speak. In order for speech development to occur harmoniously, you need to talk to preschoolers, illustrating any action with words.
Explanation
Morning exercises must be explained. At the same time, the teacher tries to select short sentences with understandable words, speak slowly, and clearly pronounce all the words.
The teacher not only explains, but also shows all the actions
Puzzles
This verbal technique, which motivates children to work, requires from them not only a certain amount of knowledge, but also a vocabulary. Therefore, riddles begin to be played out in the second half of the year.
In my practice, I select riddles with rhyming agreements to make it easier for children to guess what is being said. For example, before performing a complex in the form of outdoor games, my children and I solve riddles in which the names of the exercises are encrypted:
- We returned at a late hour. Who greets us at the door? Who wags his tail with happiness and dances on his hind legs, licks his hands, licks his nose? This is our favorite... (Dog) - the game "Shaggy Dog".
- It can go and pour, There is water in the puddles. And not a hare, but a scythe, Sometimes it is torrential, In the fall it is a frequent visitor. Did you guess it? This is... (Rain) - the game "Rain".
- They scraped the bottom of the barrel, swept the barns. And through the forest, without roads, Rolled... (Kolobok) - the game “Kolobok is rolling.”
Poems
In my work, I also use this verbal technique to motivate students. Firstly, children enjoy listening to rhyming lines, and secondly, they quickly understand the essence of the topic. Thus, poems not only attract the attention of children, but also give them an idea of the tasks that will be in morning exercises. For example, if the kids and I are going to do the “Butterfly” story gymnastics, we start by listening to the poem of the same name:
- Amazing flower: Yellow, red patch! And along the edge there is lace. Oh! Head with a mustache! Here are the miracles: This is a beautiful butterfly! Summer beauty We all really like it!
Methodists also highlight sets of exercises that are performed to the accompaniment of poems (songs) that illustrate them - “gymnastics in verse.”
Table: examples of gymnastics in poetry (compiled based on open access materials)
| Title of the poem | Gymnastics move |
| "Matryoshka" | The nesting dolls gathered to play a little. They walked in circles and danced in a round dance. (Walking) Let's run after each other - (Running) These are funny girlfriends! They waved handkerchiefs, (Movements with their hands) They danced merrily, (Squats) They stomped their feet, (Movements according to the text) They clapped their hands. This is what kind of nesting dolls we are: (Tilts) We have red boots, Colorful handkerchiefs, (Blow on handkerchiefs) Satin ribbons. (Breathing exercise). |
| "Winter" | Children, line up in order for a fun exercise. To stretch our legs, we will walk along the path. And the path is not easy, It carries us along. (Walking) It’s frosty outside. To keep your nose from freezing, you need to stomp your feet (Stomp) and clap your palms. (Clap) Along the path, along the path We gallop on our right leg. And along the same path we gallop on our left leg. (They jump) We'll all go skiing, we'll climb the hill. Sticks will help us walk, The road will be easy for us. (They walk with long strides) And there are snowdrifts all around, the roads are covered with snow. Don’t get stuck in the field so that we raise our legs higher. (Hands on the belt, raise the knees) Let's run along the path, Let's run to the lawn. White flakes are flying, It has become colder. Only, winter-winter, you didn’t scare the guys. (Running) Snowflakes are falling from the sky, Like in a fairy-tale picture. We'll catch them with our hands and show them at home to mom. (Walking, clapping hands above your head) On the fluffy snow We started a game. You are a snowball and I am a snowball, stand in a circle, my friend. |
| "Palms" | Show me your palms and clap a little: Clap-clap-clap, Clap-clap-clap. Now look at me, (Make any movement) Repeat everything exactly. One-two-three, one-two-three. Now let’s show our legs and stomp a little. Top-top-top, Top-top-top. Show me your arms and legs, play with them a little. (Random movements of arms and legs) One-two-three, one-two-three. |
Video: morning exercises in the first junior group to a song
Short stories
I come up with such stories on the topic myself. From time to time, children need to be reminded of the importance of doing gymnastics, so one of the fairy tales could be like this: “Once upon a time there were two little men - Hilyachok and Fatty. One kept being capricious and didn’t want to eat anything, and the other did nothing but chew and never went far from home. One day they were sitting in the yard, and suddenly they saw a mischievous boy coming - Big Guy. They began to ask him why he was so happy and happy. And the big guy told them that he loves physical education, does morning exercises, eats cereals, vegetables and fruits. Then Hilyachok and Fatty began to take care of their health, doing physical exercise every morning and eating right. And within a month they became cheerful and joyful boys.”
When inventing fairy tales, you need to consider that:
- they should not be too long, otherwise children will be distracted from gymnastics;
- character names should be memorable;
- If possible, you need to select pictures to match the plot.
Fairy tales can be told from the perspective of a character who performs gymnastics
Visual techniques
Preschoolers perceive the world primarily through images. Therefore, visibility should accompany any type of activity of children. And morning exercises are no exception.
When working with my students I use:
- pictures depicting exercise characters - cats, dogs, bear cubs, etc.;
- illustrations of the order in which all elements of gymnastics are performed (for example, children running, jumping or the progress of work on the exercise “The bun is rolling”);
- demonstration (for the first younger group this is a demonstration of all the movements by the teacher or watching a video where gymnastics is performed by children’s peers).
Practical techniques
These types of work include types of creative activity:
- drawings;
- crafts;
- applications.
These techniques in the first junior group are reflective in nature: this is how children show their impressions of gymnastics. For example, after completing the “Let’s Rattle a Rattle” set of story-based gymnastics, the guys and I make an applique from blank rattles for the Tanyushka doll.
Performing applications, in addition to developing creative abilities, helps children remember the exercises
Gaming techniques
Play, as the main activity of preschoolers, provides a kind of framework for working on physical exercises. In morning exercises, outdoor games with theatrical elements are actively used.
Table: card index of outdoor games for morning exercises (compiled based on open access materials)
| Skill to be practiced | Name of the game | Tasks | Progress of the game |
| Run | “Sun and Rain” (“Rain”, “Sunny Bunnies”) |
| Children squat down behind the line designated by the teacher. The teacher says: “The sun is in the sky! You can go for a walk." Children are running around the playground. To the signal “Rain! Hurry home! run behind the marked line and squat down. The teacher says again: “Sunny! Go for a walk." The game repeats itself. |
| "Run to me" |
| Children stand on one side of the hall, so as not to disturb each other. The teacher stands on the opposite side. He says: “Run to me, everyone, everyone, run to me!” The children run to the teacher, who greets them warmly, spreading his arms wide to the sides, and pretends that he wants to hug all the children. After the children gather around the teacher, he goes to the other side of the playground and again says: “Run to me!” Before the start of the game, the teacher reminds that you can run only after the words “Run to me!”, You cannot push and interfere with each other. | |
| Orientation in space | "Shaggy Dog" |
| Children stand on one side of the playground. One child on the opposite side portrays a “dog”. The children quietly approach him, and the teacher at this time says:
Children approach the "dog". As soon as the teacher finishes reading the poem, the “dog” jumps up and “barks” loudly. The children run away, the “dog” tries to catch someone. When all the children hide, the “dog” returns to its place. |
| Development of balance | "Carousels" |
| The teacher invites the children to ride the carousel. Holds a hoop in his hands (being in the middle of the hoop) with multi-colored ribbons tied to it. Children take hold of the ribbons, the teacher moves with the hoop. Children walk and then run in a circle. The teacher says:
The children stop. |
| Strengthening the muscles of the trunk, spine, arch of the foot | "Kolobok is rolling" |
| Children pretend to be koloboks: they lie down on the carpet, straighten their legs and arms, and roll first in one direction, then in the other. At first, the adult helps the child, as if turning him over, saying: “Here comes Kolobok.” Rolling, rolling, can’t catch up with him.” Then the children roll themselves. |
| Formation of imitation skills | "Bubble" |
| Children and an adult stand in a circle. The teacher says:
Children, gradually moving back, expand the circle. When they hear the words “The bubble burst,” children lower their hands and pronounce the sound “sh-sh-sh.” |
| Agility development | "Frogs" |
| On one side of the hall there is a cord on the floor - this is a “swamp”. The “frog” children stand on the other side of the hall in one line on the starting line. The teacher says: “Here are the frogs jumping along the path with their legs outstretched, qua-kwa, kwa-kwa-kwa, jumping with their legs outstretched.” Children perform jumps on two legs in accordance with the rhythm of the poem, moving forward (about 16 jumps) to the “swamp”, and jump over the cord, saying: “Plop!” After a pause, the game exercise is repeated. |
| Formation of climbing skill | "Monkeys" | Exercise children in climbing a gymnastic wall. | The teacher invites the children, one or two at a time, to approach the gymnastics wall, stand facing it and climb 3-4 slats. These are monkeys. The rest of the children sit or stand and watch the monkeys pick fruit from the trees. Then other monkeys climb up the trees. |
| Development of attention | "Checkbox" | Teach children to stand in a circle and perform actions while singing along to a song | Children stand in a circle, in the middle of the circle there is a flag. The kids walk in a circle and say the text. The child comes out according to the text, picks up the flag, waves it and puts it back. Then the game continues.
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This is interesting. Some morning complexes also include 1-2 exercises of finger games and/or breathing exercises.
Benefits and attributes for charging
Gymnastics for the first junior group may include actions with objects:
- cubes;
- handkerchiefs;
- chopsticks;
- flags;
- ribbons;
- rings.
When small toys or paraphernalia are used for general developmental exercises, additional muscle tension is created. In addition, children enthusiastically perform movements, enjoying the toy. Changing objects allows you to maintain interest and gives you the opportunity to practice the same movement. It doesn't cause monotony. Children raise a handkerchief, in the next complex they knock cubes over their heads, in another they stretch their palms towards the sun. Attributes change - movement improves. This is better than simply asking children to raise their hands to count.
Objects can also be used for cognitive development. Children will learn what a ball is, a flag, how to hold them, what color they are, what shape they are, and so on.
Our fingers played
To develop children's fine motor skills, teachers often use finger gymnastics. The first junior group also includes this element. It is introduced into classes, walks and other routine moments. Small recitatives, accompanied by movements of fingers and hands, help children improve fine motor skills in a playful way. In addition, finger gymnastics improves thinking and speech. Movements increase the activity of the cerebral cortex, speech and motor centers are activated, which contributes to their development.
While performing finger games and exercises, the child:
- learns to understand speech;
- develops fine motor skills;
- improves thinking;
- plays happily.
Morning exercises in the garden are a powerful means of improving children’s health. It is especially important in the first junior group, when thinking and speech are just being formed, and the habit of an active lifestyle and physical education is being created. It is very important to follow all the basic principles of building exercises so that they can develop children and not harm their fragile organisms.
Preview:
Complex of morning exercises March.
"Circus" 01.03. — 15.03.
- Walking in pairs without holding hands (15 sec.), walking on tiptoes (10 sec.), running (20 sec.), walking in a regular column (10 sec.)
- “Trained dogs greet the guys” I.p.: standing, legs slightly apart, hands on the belt. Extend your right arm to the side, turn your palm up. Return to i.p. The same movement with the left hand. Return to i.p. 3 times with each hand.
- “Funny monkeys” IP: standing, hands behind your back. Take your right leg back. Return to i.p. The same movement with the left leg. 3 times with each leg.
- “Dexterous wolf cubs” IP: sitting, legs apart, arms down. Bend your knees, hands on your waist. Return to i.p. 5 times
- “Strong cubs” I.p.: lying on your back, hands on the floor, above your head. Raise your legs and touch your toes with your fingers. Return to i.p. 5 times.
- “Animals are happy to have children” I.p.: standing, legs slightly apart, hands on the belt.
8 jumps in place, alternate with walking. 3 times.
- Running in a column one at a time (20 sec.), walking (15 sec.).
“Visiting the Sun” 16.03. -31.03.
- Walk one after another for 10 seconds, walk on tiptoes for 10 seconds, slow run for 15 seconds, walk for 10 seconds.
- “Smile at the sun” IP: standing, legs slightly apart, hands on shoulders. Raise your right leg and extend your right arm forward, palm up, and smile. Return to I.p. 3 times
- “Playing with the sun” IP: sitting, legs bent at the knees, hands clasped around the knees. Rotate, sitting, stepping, 360 degrees. Return to i.p. 5 times
- “Playing with the sun's rays” IP: sitting, legs together, arms down. Spread your legs to the sides, clap your palms on your knees. Return to i.p. 5 times
- “Relaxing in the sun” IP: lying on your back, legs bent at the knees and pressed to the chest. Roll onto your right side. Return to i.p. Roll onto your left side. Return to i.p. 3 times
- “The kids are happy” I.p.: legs together, hands on the belt. 10 jumps, alternate with walking. 3 times.
- Walk one after another for 10 seconds
Analysis of morning exercises in the first junior group of preschool educational institutions
Any type of activity in a preschool educational institution is subject to systematic monitoring (diagnosis), which allows not only to see progress in children’s development, but also to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods used by the teacher in their work. Analysis of morning exercises can be carried out in two formats:
- methodologists and teachers (usually morning exercises are assessed as one of the elements of working with children to form a general impression of the teacher’s methodological competence);
- by the teacher himself (to assess the level of preparation of children and identify organizational or substantive shortcomings in the work).
In both cases, the diagnostic plan will be the same.
Analysis of morning exercises is one of the elements of general monitoring of the level of physical development of children
Scheme of analysis of morning exercises
The gymnastics analysis scheme includes the following evaluation criteria:
- General information about the group (name, total number of children and number of people present that day).
- Assessing the level of preparation for exercises (wet cleaning, ventilation).
- Appearance of the teacher (sportswear, tied up hair) and children (sports uniform, suitable shoes, girls' hair tied up).
- How long did the gymnastics last?
- Number of stages worked out (introductory, main and final).
- Description and timing of each stage, indicating the goals that were achieved or not achieved.
- Assessing the degree of teacher participation (explaining tasks, demonstrating movements).
- What emotional background was created.
- Overall assessment of the work (high, good, satisfactory).
Morning exercises in the first junior group are not only an important part of maintaining the daily routine, helping to improve health and provide conditions for the full physical development of children, but also a way to organize children for joint activities and foster a sense of camaraderie. Therefore, the teacher must approach the organization of gymnastics with special care. We must not forget that carrying out a set of exercises at the beginning of the day creates a positive emotional background in a group where most children have a hard time parting with their mothers in the morning.
