hopscotch

Hopscotch
Dominique West
College of Health Care Professions

Hopscotch
Most everyone has a favorite toy or game as a child that brings back or triggers good memories. No matter what age group you are, playing games or with toys were always a great time. During my childhood hopscotch was my favorite game therefore; I chose this for my assignment. The supplies used to make my hopscotch toy include the following.
Small colorful poster boards
Black markers
Tape
To play the game of hopscotch the rules are as followed in order to complete the course, all hopping is done on foot unless the hopscotch design is designed where there are two squares side by side. Hopscotch is designed for –one or multiple players for entertainment. The appropriate age level for this toy is three- five (preschool ages). Preschoolers are creative, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional. Hopscotch is a good source of physical demand for this age group. Hopefully the readers will gain insight and agree that hopscotch is a great toy for this age range for children.
The preschool aged children are on a journey to learning new tasks and skills. Children benefit from playing hopscotch and other games with rules in many ways. Being physically active helps preschoolers learn healthy habits. Several advantages of hopscotch include the following,
One to learn balance coordination
Taking turns which increase social development
Increase muscle strength as shown with the foot work
Spatial Awareness
Preschooler’s gross motor skills are developing rapidly at this stage. The only disadvantage of hopscotch may be safety reasons. Since the preschooler is still trying to master coordination therefore falling or tripping is a possibility. I chose to follow Erikson’s theory. Erikson describes the task of the preschooler in terms of initiative vs. guilt. They develop and refine gross motor skills and fine motor skills. Playing serves many purposes in the development in children. Using senses and moving alongside physical activity is therapeutic for children. Setting the tone at an early age of the importance of physical movement and activity will be rewarding for the preschooler. Through playing hopscotch the child learns how to tolerate frustrations while learning the sense of team work and cooperation. Hopscotch can also be used as a kinesthetic learning method involving big muscles of arms and legs while pumping information through the blood vessels to the brain.
Hopscotch is competitive once a group of kids get together to play. The rules change and get a little more challenging for instance don’t step on the line if you do, you must start over. The natural, human drive to succeed is all the incentive that preschoolers need to try harder. When children develop good sportsmanship, they are developing the skills and attitudes they 'll need for a well-balanced approach to life. Because in the end, winning feels great but losing build character. Clearly hopscotch is a helpful learning tool for preschoolers. You can use numbers, letters, and even words to make the game more exciting. Once the game is passed down to the next generation the memory will become a flashback and hopscotch will become a game for all ages.
References
Why Hopscotch matters (2012), Retrieved from http://www.movingsmartblog.blogspot.com
Lewis, S. L., Dirksen, S. R., Heitkemper, M. M., & et at. (2011). Medical Surgical Nursing Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems (8th ed.) St Louis, Missouri. Elsevier Mosby
Christensen, B. L., & Kockrow, E. O. (2011) Foundations and Adult Health Nursing (6th ed.) St Louis, Missouri. Mosby Elsevier

References: Why Hopscotch matters (2012), Retrieved from http://www.movingsmartblog.blogspot.com Lewis, S. L., Dirksen, S. R., Heitkemper, M. M., & et at. (2011). Medical Surgical Nursing Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems (8th ed.) St Louis, Missouri. Elsevier Mosby Christensen, B. L., & Kockrow, E. O. (2011) Foundations and Adult Health Nursing (6th ed.) St Louis, Missouri. Mosby Elsevier