This concept focuses on the individual items found in the Pedalo Bewegungsrucksack. It is designed to improve hand-eye coordination, bilateral integration, and spatial awareness through focused, individual practice.
Jonglierbälle (Juggling Balls)
Use: Tossing, catching, and cross-lateral patterns.
Why This Equipment: Juggling requires the brain to track multiple objects simultaneously, forcing the hemispheres to communicate across the corpus callosum. This “crossing the midline” action directly supports reading and writing readiness.
Benefit: Improves reaction speed, bilateral coordination, and cognitive processing speed.
Bohnensäckchen (Bean Bag)
Use: Balancing on body parts, target throwing, tactile exploration.
Why This Equipment: Unlike balls, bean bags stay where they land, reducing frustration for beginners. The weight provides proprioceptive feedback (knowing where the body part is in space), which calms the nervous system and promotes upright posture.
Benefit: Develops tactile perception, grip strength, body awareness, and throwing accuracy.
Kugelfangspiel (Ball-in-Cup)
Use: Swinging a tethered ball into a wooden cup.
Why This Equipment: This activity requires “dosage of force”—learning exactly how much power is needed for a specific movement. Too much force and the ball overshoots; too little and it doesn’t reach. This precision directly translates to handwriting pressure control.
Benefit: Develops high-level concentration, fine motor control, and force regulation.
Holzschläger & Softball
Use: Bouncing the ball on the bat, passing to a partner.
Why This Equipment: Batting requires continuous visual tracking of a moving object while coordinating arm movement. The wooden bat provides tactile feedback through the handle, helping children understand impact and force.
Benefit: Enhances hand-eye coordination, rhythm, and bilateral integration.
| Phase | Time | Activity | Primary Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 10 min | Bean Bag Freeze | Body awareness & listening |
| Main Phase | 25 min | Skill Circuit (3 stations) | Fine motor skills & concentration |
| Cool-down | 10 min | The Silent Archer | Mindfulness & precision |
Warm-up: Bean Bag Freeze (10 min)
Setup: Each child receives one bean bag. Clear the space for movement.
Activity:
Methodology: This activity develops body schema awareness (knowing where body parts are in space) and requires children to listen and respond quickly. The weight of the bean bag provides calming proprioceptive input.
Benefit: Body control, posture, listening skills, and vestibular activation.
Main Part: The Skill Circuit (25 min)
Divide the class into three groups. Each group rotates through all three stations (approximately 8 minutes per station).
Equipment: 3 juggling balls per child
Progression:
Why This Works: The progressive difficulty allows every child to succeed at their level while being challenged. Cross-lateral movements strengthen neural pathways between brain hemispheres.
Equipment: 1 wooden bat + 1 softball per child
Progression:
Why This Works: The continuous visual tracking required for batting strengthens eye muscles used for reading. The wooden bat provides immediate tactile feedback about contact quality.
Equipment: 1 Kugelfangspiel (ball-in-cup) per child
Progression:
Why This Works: This activity demands precise force regulation and sustained concentration. Children learn that success comes from controlled, not forceful, movements—a key lesson for handwriting.
Cool-down: The Silent Archer (10 min)
Setup: Children use chalk to draw a small target on the floor (start with dinner-plate size). Mark a throwing line 2 meters away.
Activity:
Methodology: The silence requirement shifts children from external stimulation to internal concentration. The target provides clear, immediate feedback about accuracy.
Closing: Sit in a circle. Each child shares one thing they noticed about their body or concentration today.
| Station | Easier Variation | Harder Variation |
|---|---|---|
| Juggling | Use scarves instead of balls (slower descent); practice with one ball only | Attempt 3-ball cascade; try behind-the-back catches; close eyes during toss |
| Batting | Use larger, slower ball; allow ball to bounce first then hit | Use smaller ball; hit while walking backward; switch to non-dominant hand |
| Ball-in-Cup | Hold cup closer to ball; use larger cup opening | Use non-dominant hand; stand on one leg while playing; add movement before swing |
| Bean Bag Freeze | Allow holding bean bag in place; give longer transition time | Freeze on one leg only; combine two body parts; add spinning before freeze |
| Category | Value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Effort | Low - Moderate | Focus is on precision, not cardiovascular activity |
| Social Form | Individual / Side-by-Side | Children work independently at stations |
| Cognitive Load | High | Concentration and attention regulation required |
| Prep Time | 5 Minutes | Distribute equipment, set up stations |
| Space Required | Classroom sufficient | Can be done in regular classroom with desks pushed aside |
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
| Domain | Objective |
|---|---|
| Motor | Demonstrate improved hand-eye coordination through successful catches and hits |
| Cognitive | Maintain focus on a single task for 5+ minutes |
| Self-Regulation | Control force output to achieve precise movements |
| Social | Work independently while respecting others’ space and concentration |
| Metacognitive | Identify which activities were challenging and why |
Formative Assessment
Student Self-Assessment
The skills developed in this lesson directly support academic learning:
| Skill | Academic Connection |
|---|---|
| Crossing midline | Reading left-to-right; writing across a page |
| Force regulation | Pencil pressure; not tearing paper |
| Visual tracking | Following text lines; copying from board |
| Sustained attention | Focusing on lessons; completing work |
| Frustration tolerance | Persisting through difficult tasks |
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