Developing kids’ fine motor skills

Great Play coordinates fun and learning

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Babies crawl or roll, the toddlers jump and explore and older children begin to learn the skills that could help them to knock in the winning run, defend a goal or glide up and down a basketball court.

All of this activity is being conducted under the roof of Great Play of Woodmere a facility nestled in a small shopping center by Railroad Avenue between Franklin and Irving places. 

Under the watchful eye of several coaches, the kids who range in age from six months to 12-years-old receive age-appropriate physical development based on a set curriculum that is now in use at 26 Great Play franchises that are independently owned.

At Woodmere Great Play Janet Reznik applies her experience as a special education teacher to make the children, their parents and grandparents feel welcome. There is the child-friendly Buddy and kids could have a birthday party there. 

“Some kids today don’t move,” Reznik said, alluding to the video game and device-driven environment of today. “This is a great combination of meeting their needs and developing their physical skills.”

Through the day classes are provided for the infants/toddlers that are divided into four groupings: A — 6-11 months; B — 12-19 months; C —20 months to 2 1/2 years and D — 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years. Those classes, Intro Motor Skills, have the kids moving around, crawling through obstacles courses, playing throwing and kicking games and gaining a sense of balance. A parent or guardian must be present.

Woodmere resident John Levar has brought now 11-month-old daughter Kaitlyn to Great Play since it opened in December three days a week. “It’s a good fit for her, she gets to socialize with kids her age,” Levar said following a Friday morning session. “It’s a fun environment and she develops her motor skills.”

For kids 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 there is what Great Play calls Great Start Jr., Motor & Intro to Athletic Development/Sports. Motor skills — physical movement that must be learned — are continued to be developed along with sports skills, coordination and agility.

As the kids mature more instruction and specialized games are introduced for them to learn 24 essential skills for six sports — baseball, basketball, football, floor hockey, soccer and volleyball. How to swing a baseball bat, kick, throw and shoot a ball, dribbling and much more.

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