Table of Contents This book has been created 3 An Introduction to to educate, inspire and Physical Literacy facilitate physical literacy development in Medicine Hat and surrounding area. 4 Adventure Play It is designed for those 6 Low/No Cost Ways to Engage in Physical who seek to book physical Literacy Development activity sessions for their groups/schools/teams, or gain information on what 10 List of Local Organizations physical literacy is. that Engage in Physical Activity for Youth We hope the P.L.A.Y. Book allows for more accessible 23 Be Fit for Life Local information and resources Partners that engage in physical literacy development for 24 Additional Information youth of any ability. Physical literacy is a necessary component of healthy childhood development, and allows people to be active for life! An Introduction to PHYSICAL LITERACY: The latest definition of physical literacy states that it is “the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life.” -The International Physical Literacy Association, May 2014. Literacy on its own is most often related to education; composed of knowledge, understanding, thinking, communication and application. Within the last decade, UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) redefined literacy to include more than simply reading and writing. It is about how we communicate, and includes social practices such as relationships, as well as knowledge, language and culture. It is no surprise that soon after, the concept of physical literacy was introduced as an integral part of being literate. In 2013, the importance of this concept was described in a particularly novel way by its leading researcher and developer, Margaret Whitehead: Physical literacy Physical literacy is intimately linked with physical affords us an essential avenue education and a lifetime engagement in physical of interaction without which activity. It has been detailed as: we could not fully realize our human potential. 3 Adventure Play where exploration and creativity rule! In recent times, adventure play has re-emerged This is a unique type of play in the sense that it as a crucial type of play to have in healthy child highlights creativity, engineering and imagination. development. This type of play places a focus on It allows children to take risks in an environment imagination, creativity and risk taking, thereby that can be monitored. Some supervision allowing children to develop a wide range of is required to ensure safety, yet the children skills and abilities that may not be as accessible ultimately control the play space and the through traditional play. adventure they will embark on! Adventure play can be described as the The goal and components of adventure play intersection of risk, nature and loose parts are summed up well by Nicolson in 1971: in an unstructured play environment. With “In any environment, both the degree of adventure play, children are able to explore inventiveness and creativity, and the possibilities boundaries, learn risk management, be physically of discovery are directly proportional to the active and develop cognitive and social skills. number and kind of variables in it.” Mitigating Unnecessary Risk Although adventure play gives kids the opportunity to take risks, it does not sacrifice safety! Taking a risk does not equal danger!! How to ensure fun and safe adventure play: • Before a child climbs a tree, check around the base of it to ensure there are no sharp branches or other potentially dangerous objects. Check for sturdy vs loose branches as well. • Before a child explores a pond, check the water depth! 4 Facilitating Adventure Play: In order to engage in adventure play, try inviting your children to take a calculated risk, rather than just saying “Be careful!” Foster awareness and problem solving abilities with the following cues: “Notice how… These rocks are slippery, the cliff is high” “Can you hear… The rushing water, the wind in the trees?” “What is your plan… When you climb that tree, cross that stream?” “How will you… Get down from there, get across that log?” Loose Parts Play: Loose parts are a great and easy way to engage Some examples of synthetic loose parts can in adventure play! Often considered “junk include: PVC pipes, tires, paint, rocks, rope, tires, reimagined”, they allow a child’s imagination to boards, old appliances and boxes - virtually run wild. For instance, an old tub could become anything you can think of! a ship, some car tires may become mission impossible, old cardboard and wood boards *When sourcing loose parts from nature, please may now be a fort. be mindful of the environment! Using fallen or dead materials is always recommended over Loose parts have no set direction or instruction disrupting the natural environment. and can be made from natural or synthetic materials. This allows children to use their imag- ination and create new games, sculptures, forts and more with a vast array of objects available! Some Helpful Guidelines When Engaging In Adventure Play: • Get messy! Use shaving cream, foam, corn flour and water, slime, etc. to fill pools, bathtubs, buckets and more. • Get creative! Create a climbing wall, an obstacle course or a fort, or organize a treasure hunt. • Get building! Use hay bales, tires, boxes, old parts and more to build forts, dens, sculptures, etc. • Use the elements! Use fire, water, earth, and wind to enhance play. Have a water fight, build a mud pit, create a wind tunnel, and more! (Supervision is required). A Sample Adventure Play Game: Moving in all directions, from the Be Fit for Life resource “Orange Marks the Spot: An introduction to Orienteering”. Purpose: Move and change directions quickly, while applying the cardinal directions. Equipment: Cones, hurdles, natural landmarks (optional) • Choose four landmarks in the play environment • An obstacle can be used in the middle for where the game is taking place to represent participants to jump over or climb under. the cardinal directions (N,S,E,W). • Option: Divide participants in 2-4 groups and • Call a direction and locomotor skill for partici- have them move in opposing directions for an pants to move to. Call directions often to keep added challenge! everyone moving and engaged. • Change the locomotor movement throughout the game (ie: jumping, hopping, skipping, bear crawl, crab walk). 5 LOW/NO COST ACTIVITY IDEAS Try these fun, simple activities that engage in the development of physical literacy at virtually no cost! MINDFULLNESS Physical literacy affects so many different domains in our lives, one of those being our mental wellbeing. A positive physical and social environment when engaging in physical literacy development can largely contribute to improved mental health. For these reasons and many more, hundreds of fun yet effective activities have been designed to calm, balance and prepare students to better engage in physical activity. BALLOON BELLY, an “Anchored Breathing” exercise from the “Zen Me” Be Fit for Life Resource. • Imagine inflating and deflating a balloon in your belly. • Breathe in and feel the balloon inflate. • Breathe out and feel the balloon deflate. • Feel the belly rise and fall with each breath. INVISIBLE PALMS, an “Energy Play” exercise, also from the “Zen Me” Be Fit for Life Resource. • Get into a restful position with your palms facing up. • Imagine you have little pools of energy resting in your palms. • Feel the sparkling of the energy fill your palms. • As the energy expands, notice how your hands feel like they are dissolving. Almost like they are becoming invisible. • How far can you focus the energy? Does the tingling move up your arms? Does the dissolving reach your shoulders or beyond? There is a very large library of resources available that promote mindfulness in physical literacy. Feel free to use these sample activities given, any other ones you may encounter, or create your own! Mindful moments are easy to create, yet crucial to the success of so many aspects in our lives. Please visit movingandchoosing.com to browse all mindfulness resources available to be borrowed at no cost! 6 NATURE AND INDIGENOUS RELATIONS Physical activity and physical literacy development are often closely linked with the environment where it takes place. Our natural environment has so many resources that can be used to enhance physical literacy development, and it is important to be thankful for such resources, and let it be known their importance and value. Furthermore, physical activity provides a space for growth and education regarding Indigenous culture. Indigenous people have unique, traditional games they are willing to share with the community in order to promote a more diverse development of physical literacy. These fun activities are rich with important social and spiritual values to be taught, as well as crucial physical skills and abilities. Our community is eager to learn about and gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous culture through physical literacy! The following example, inspired by the Blackfoot Nations, is designed to engage in the development of physical literacy, while providing an education on traditional Indigenous values, culture, and play! RING THE STICK, a traditional game from the “Move and Play Through Traditional Games” resource. This game was created by the Blackfoot Confederacy, traditionally played to practice hand-eye coordination, as well as help resolve conflicts (ie: when there is a tie in a game). Equipment needed: · One willow stick for the handle · Small flexible willow branches for the hoop · A 45cm string (sinew) to secure the branches of the loop to connect the loop to the stick · Small activity area *In traditional culture, gratitude for gifts of the land is an important lesson that begins with proper protocol being followed when harvesting natural materials. How it’s played: · Start with the ring on the floor and the stick in hand, connected by a long string.