Several Homeschooling P.E. users have contacted me to share that the “Bop” game in week 3 of our curriculum sounds fun but just doesn’t make much sense. We agree! While all our own children think that running around and hitting each other on the heads with balloons would be great, I doubt that it would be very productive.

Here is how we’ve revised it:

Week 3’s game:  Balloon Games
Idea #1 — Stand in a circle.  Toss a balloon in the air and call someone’s name.  That person must catch the balloon before it touches the ground.  If the person succeeds, he or she then tosses the balloon up and calls the next name.

Idea #2 – Similar to idea #1, now the balloon is not caught but is kept in the air.  As well as calling out someone’s name, also call out a body part which that person has to use to keep the balloon in the air until he or she calls another person’s name and body part.

Idea #3 — Try balancing a balloon on the end of your finger.  Have a competition to see who can do it for the longest.  The balloon must not be held, only balanced, and it must not be tapped.  The finger must be in direct contact with the balloon at all times.  Good for focus, concentration and physical movement.

We have revised Homeschooling P.E. in both the e-book and hardbound versions to include these new balloon games for week 3.

If you ever have any questions or comments about our curriculum, we invite you to contact us! We’re just a homeschooling family like yours, and we’re probably having the same difficulties you are.

Hugs,

Am I correct to understand that you say the rhyme while jump roping AND
acting out the rhyme?  How does that work?  Climbing stairs while jumping at
the same time?

Thanks for any insight that you can provide!

~ Kristin in Georgia

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Kristin,

Hello! I’m so glad you wrote. It’s SUCH a help when customers write and tell me that something is unclear. Now I can improve it for others. Thank you!

This is a pretty “advanced” jump-roping skill, isn’t it? Yes, it’s meant to be acted out WHILE jumping, although the part about going upstairs isn’t literally on stairs (that would be pretty dangerous, huh!!!), but to simply lift your knees extra high as if climbing stairs. We did this as kids, in a long jump rope, where two girls would be turning the rope, and the jumper in the middle was jumping and acting out. She would be jumping, and when the rhyme said “turn around,” she’d have to jump WHILE turning, etc. It was tough. Not too many could make it all to the end without messing up, which was probably why we did it for hours (it seems) at recess, trying to compete with each other. LOL!

“Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around,
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch the ground
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, show your shoe
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, that will do!
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, go upstairs-
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say your prayers-
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn out the lights-
Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, say good-night!”

I included it in the curriculum because it brings back such memories of grade school recess, memories that my own homeschooled kids just don’t have.

BUT… wow, yeah, it’s hard. My own kids can’t do it either. Here’s what we do. We just try to jump and say the rhyme! That’s tough enough!!!!! LOL! Then maybe you can share some of your own grade-school recess memories with your kids, and they’ll love hearing about what you did when you were young.

I’ll get this changed (or notated) or something in the curriculum, so that others understand what I’m saying here.

Many hugs,
~Anne

Click here to get the sale price!

Our Homeschooling P.E. curriculum is ready to go! You can browse through our site. Please leave us a comment if you notice that something is missing or not working right.

Just a heads-up for you… If you’re planning to use this curriculum in a homeschooling co-op rather than at home, wait a week or so. We’re going to be releasing this curriculum just for co-ops that meet weekly, with assignment sheets and teacher-planning ideas. I’ll post here as soon as it’s ready!

Hugs,
~Anne

I’m excited!

If you’d like to be notified of the release of the 2nd edition of Homeschooling P.E., just drop me a line at anne@anneelliott.com or subscribe to this, my new blog!

If you’ve used our P.E. curriculum before and you want to comment about how it’s worked for you, that would be great!

Okay… not long now! Thanks, everyone!

Hugs,

~Anne