“Oopsie-Daisy” is a motor planning activity.

Here is a fun activity for you that will help your children develop and strengthen their motor planning skills. I like to call it “Oopsie Daisy”! It is an activity that is much more fun if demonstrated and done with these words and it is quick to do.

Have a look at the “Oopsie Daisy!” motor planning activity video.

The “Oopsie Daisy!” activity promotes motor planning and learning and practicing many important skills such as:

⋅ Balance
⋅ Directional movement
⋅ Core strength
⋅ Correct posture
⋅ Combining words & actions
⋅ The concept of velocity

Here are some age-appropriate teaching suggestions for practicing motor planning and other fundamental skills.

Ages 3 to 4
Touch the knee that needs to drop down towards the knee that is already on the floor. Then encourage the lifting of the other knee while the body does a half turn to face the other way. Continue to give verbal prompting until the children have learned how to do the activity alone. With each step of the activity the children’s motor planning functions are being reinforced.

Ages 5 to 6
Have the children do the activity but vary the speed of saying “Oopsie Daisy”. Start by saying each word slowly. Then say them faster in increasing increments. You can continue to add variety and to teach the concept of velocity by saying “Oopsie” very slowly and then say “Daisy” quickly.

Ages 7 to 8
Have the children do the activity on a bench facing in one direction with one knee up. Upon instruction they need to start the activity by carefully placing the first knee on the bench and lifting the other knee. The arms can be held shoulder height out to the sides. This requires more balance and concentration. Thinking about which part of the body moves in what order requires motor planning.

Teaching Tip
Be sure to explain and demonstrate to the children that the upper knee drops down next to the knee on the floor and then that knee then immediately lifts up. These actions result in the body facing the other way.

Explain that the word “Oopsie” belongs to the knee drop, and “Daisy” belongs to the knee lift. So the children are putting an instruction to an action in sequence, in essence, motor planning. Encourage the children to hold the trunk of their bodies up nice and straight when doing the activity.

Other ways to practice “Oopsie Daisy”

⋅Periodically during the day shout the words “Oopsie Daisy” as a surprise! The children must stop what they are doing, get down  to the floor and do the activity.

⋅Have the children in a circle with the same knee down and the other up. When you say “Oopsie Daisy!” they all do it in unison. This develops a spirit of teamwork while sharpening the motor planning skills.

⋅Have the children in a circle and do the activity like a wave and then have the wave return the other way. So one child starts the “Oopsie” part, then the next child, and the next child. When all have done the “Oopsie” part, the last child immediately does the “Daisy” part and the wave moves back in the opposite direction.

⋅ Insert claps or lift the arms up and down at the start of the activity, in the middle or at the end. This will challenge their motor planning skills and will support learning the concept of sequencing.

Once again, here is the “Oopsie Daisy” motor planning activity video.

You can find more information about equipment and other aids for teaching movement here.

P.S.: I am happy to have a free call with you to discuss your movement needs. Whether it be about your curriculum goals, resources, equipment or just general class management for movement lessons. I will gladly assist however I can.