Watching TV is notorious for being a sedentary, thoughtless activity and unfortunately, many kids are watching way too much of it. Watching TV is even easier as internet channels like You Tube are available on every smart phone and tablet. 
Many children are highly motivated by TV and You Tube and consequently are often nagging their parents to let them watch more. So, how can parents tap into that great enthusiasm and influence that TV has on children and turn it into a positive, motivating activity that helps them get more active and learning at the same time? They play this “You Move Tube” Game! This clever game puts you and your child on “TV” and you can control the content of the “shows” from things like exercising to learning letters.
Materials Needed:
Old cardboard box or pieces of cardboard you can glue together to make the outline of a “TV screen”
Old DVD’s (or make paper ones) to write the “show content” (i.e. letters, numbers, shapes, or exercises)
Markers, paint, or construction paper to decorate the box (optional)
How to Construct
Start by cutting out the outline of a large TV screen out of a cardboard box
Decorate the outline of the screen to look like a TV such as adding volume and channel buttons (optional)
Write desired learning concepts (such as exercises to do, or spelling words, numbers, shapes, or science questions) on the back of old DVDs with a dry erase marker [Note, Please use old DVDs that you don’t plan on watching as the marker may ruin the DVD. If you don’t have any old DVDs, just make your own out of paper]
Cut a slit in the bottom of the TV outline for the DVDs to go into it
How to Play
Start by having your child get behind the cardboard TV outline so they look like they are on “TV” 
Lay all the DVDs with the learning concepts already written on them across the room
Have the parent (or sibling/friend) pick out a DVD and take it over to the TV and slid it into the DVD slot
Once the child sees the learning concept written on the DVD, they have to either act out the execise or answer the questions that was written on the DVD. For example, if the DVD said, “Do 10 jumps” then the child would have do the 10 jumps. If the DVD said, name this shape, the child would look at the DVD and announce what shape was written on it.
You can switch roles by having the child retrieve the specific DVD that you request while you are on “TV”. For example, tell your child to run and get the DVD that has the square on it. This will help to incorporate movement and learning into the game.
Benefits from playing “You Move Tube”
- Increased physical activity
- Hands on learning activity
- Social skill development
- Speech development
- Creativity development
- Turn taking
- Bonding between parents/children
Finally, its TV that you can let your kids watch ALL day long!! Have fun!
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