Friday, March 27, 2015

Music, body and soul

Music is one of the few common elements to all the cultures in the world, whether it is a cultural  characteristic or a connector between different languages or worlds. Music is an element that can trigger a huge variety of emotions: joy, enthusiasm, calmness, sadness, fright, pleasantness or unpleasantness etc.
Music can help us to connect to ourselves, to our body, which is the most effective tool for movement, achievement and expression of emotions. We sometimes forget this simple fact in our hectic life's packed with cognitive thinking, lots of sitting down and multiple electronic screens.

We will suggest you with some musical games you can play with your children. While playing them you will get familiar with your children emotional world, and will introduce them with your favorite music. You might even learn what sort of music they like. You might feel a bit awkward at start, but we are certain that all awkwardness will disappear once you start, and joy will take it's place.

All the games can develop to various directions, depends on where you will steer them. They all work on movement, coordination and rhythm. If you will dance a lot, your heart will also thank you :)

1. Teach the children the steps to one of your old favorites. For example:

2. Invent new steps with the children to favorite song - whether it is their favorite or yours.

3. Drum on your body and on improvised drums with a beat song

4. Choose a song/music that has a repetitive theme in it - tango, waltz, lambada or others. Ask the children to try and trace the repetitiveness in it, and try and dance the actual steps, or just invent new ones and repeat them - once to the left and once to the right.
How to dance Tango:

Tango Example:
How to dance - The Waltz:
Waltz music:

5. Play music and dance/jump freely to the sounds of it. stop the music every 30 seconds. when the music stops everybody needs to freeze in a funny position/statue/animal-like etc.

6. Introduce the children with your favorite songs. Step in the room to the sounds of the music, talk about it. Talk about the performing artist, about the feelings this songs brings to you, when did you first hear it, etc.
My favorite song:

7. Try and learn to listen to new kinds of music. Play a western country song and dance like in the wild west or square dancing. Play some Indian music and try some Indian moves....

8. Hold handkerchiefs in your hands and dance them in the air to the sounds of the music.

9. Play some calm music, lay on the floor on your back, take some deep breaths and relax.....

10. Just dance :)


Some music we like:
 

Do you have questions? Comments?
We will be happy to hear them,
here, our facebook page, twitter, or our Youtube channel.
You can tag your instagram photos with #Togiletsplay
:)


All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer © 

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Exercises to strength shoulder belt for children

Around this time of year, parents are advised to strength their children's shoulders belt; mainly before the last kindergarten year and first class.

We believe that all the parents and educators need to know how to do it.



A strong shoulder belt influences the body's ability to sit and walk straight, to write, to catch and throw a ball, to climb, and to enjoy basically every movement.
Many children are sent even before the first grade to strengthen their shoulder belt, in order to better their performances in class and in writing. A strong shoulder belt is also important for building a confidence and being part of a social group, taking part in games with peers.


Following, are some exercises for this purpose:

1. Hanging from a horizontal bar.

2. Climbing up a fireman's pole or a rope.

3. Wheelbarrow walk.

4. Standing on fours and playing rolling ball with a friend.

5. Standing on six, then balancing the body while lifting opposite leg and hand in the air (while tightening the lower belly muscles and straightening the back).

6.Standing in an airplane position - moving the hands up& down  - maximum 5 cm above and lower than the shoulder.

7. Crawling with one's forearms.


8. Crab-walk (reversed standing on fours and advancing).

9. Playing catch with a ball - while constantly increasing the rhythm.

10. Juggling a tennis ball between 2 hands.

11. Painting on a large canvas on the wall.

12. Carrying one's body weight on the hands.
 
Good luck

From Togi Team

we'll be happy to see you in our community on facebook: TOGI

* If you see no improvement, or have multiple challenges consult a professional.

All the posts and materials belongs to togi let's play, and the writer © 

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Why we have decided to create TOGI?

About six months ago I thought that I must develop an application that will provide parents and educators solutions to many daily situations and  needs.
after creating an amazing team they convinced me that I need to split my vision into two parts-

1. Togi- together in fun; an application that will provide games and ideas for mutual activities for parents & children (and educators), remind you to play :) enable you to set schedule and create play-dates.

2. Togi+ - an application that will be built from 4 different blocks, and will  provide you with more detailed information on different topics (social skills, shoulder belt, winning and loosing and more), and will enable you to build your own personal programs and more.

We know that information and solutions must be available to all. We know that moving more equals physical and emotional health, and helping children in all aspects of life, in and out of school.


In the first stage- TOGI we want to create a change in the way we live today. Being more active is a goal that will touch so many circles of life- physical health,mental health, relationships, development and more.
priorities must be changed, bur for that we need you to help us make an impact.
This is why TOGI is free, and we need your help in our funding campaign.


We hope to reach as many people and communities as possible, so we will be able to develop for IOS and TOGI+ and give tools, ideas and some of the answers to common questions.

In our business plan our achievements will be to create a cooperation, to reach communities, schools and organizations and build active communities.

So, we will very much appreciate your ideas and assistance!!

Thank you,


Saturday, March 7, 2015

Four dimensions of children's health, and how to increase it

Most of the time, while talking about children's health people are talking about two main parameters: Physical activity and food / diet.

We believe that there are four parameters:

1. Food / diet
  • What we eat
  • How much we eat
  • Balancing food (yes, including snacks and sweets)
  • Personal example
2. Parent- child connection
  • Trust
  • Personal example
  • Fun mutual time
  • Respect
3. Community
  • Security in the neighborhood/ play ground
  • Play dates
  • Ideas
  • Special events- by the communities /the schools & kindergartens / the municipality
4. Physical activity
  • Fun, challenge & creativity !!
  • Variety
  • Time
  • Different space challenges
  • Collaboration
  • Personal example.

Researchers have shown that PA (physical activity) improves our health, brain performance, concentration, self esteem, confidence, decreasing anxiety and more. mutual activities helps to profound relationships, deepen trust, increasing intimacy and openness. combining PA and mutual time together can use to give a role model and give our children quality time set with significant appraisal.

Children have group activities, we have our daily/ weekly walk/ gym time/ other PA and we hope that it's a role model, but when we are coping together, sweating, laughing and more the impact is much more significant, and the children enjoy it with and without us.

Only 15 years ago we had more time and more freedom- we spend more time out side, we walked more, we spent more time with our parents and more time with our peers as children. the challenges that play and PA brings contribute to all life aspects and to all the motoric development.

we, as parents and community need to make sure that we have time and space to move- in the yards, the park the play ground; and we play with our children and not just stand there we all benefit from it; parallel of course giving our children time to play alone and with their friends.