The document discusses how games and play activities can be incorporated into adult fitness programs. It explains that movement throughout life is important for brain development. Play has cognitive, social, and fitness benefits - it can increase hippocampal size, neural growth, social bonding, fitness effort, and coordinative skills through activities involving the whole body and senses. Several specific play games and exercises are described that target perceptual motor skills like body awareness, directional awareness, and proprioception. Safety considerations for play activities are also covered.

1. P R E S E N T E D B Y
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Session 270: The Powerful Playground
Brett Klika CSCS

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Today....
 How games and fun activities can be used for your adult programs
 How movement is tied to brain development throughout the lifespan

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The Formula for a Brain/Body Downfall
1. Do Nothing
2. Do Only One Thing

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The Power of Play
1. Cognitive impact
2. Social impact
3. Fitness impact

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Cognitive Impact of Play
• When aerobic: Increase size of hippocampus
• When novel: Increases neural activity/growth,
concentrations of BDNF
• When complex: Increases information rate of
transfer between hemispheres of the brain

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Social Impact of Play
• Decreases aggression
• Improved bonding (release of
oxytocin)
• Improved social cohesiveness

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Fitness Impact of Play
• Increased effort/intensity
• Increased adherence to program
• Enhanced coordinative skills
(perceptual motor skills)

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Perceptual Motor Skills: Linking Body
and Brain
1. Body awareness
• 10 Cone Adventure
• Creative discovery
2. Directional awareness
• Number Race
3. Spatial awareness
• Agility shapes
4. Temporal awareness
• Movin’ Rhythm

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Perceptual Motor Skills: Linking Body and
Brain
5. Auditory awareness
• Whistle tag
6. Visual awareness
• Partner shuffle and tag
• 1-eye cone shuffles
7. Vestibular awareness
• Head move balance
• 4-Way Balance

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Perceptual Motor Skills: Linking Body and
Brain
8. Tactile awareness
• Spelling relay
• Group massage
9. Proprioceptive awareness
• Forward/back steps

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Play!
• Multidirectional Get Up and Go
• Bear, Crab, Butterfly
• Backyard Ballgame
• Partner Cone Race
• Over, Under, Around
• Shoe Tie Challenge
• Beach Ball Race

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Safety
 Small space
 Speed of movement
 Level changes
 Awareness
 Implements

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Thank You!!!
Brett Klika CSCS
SPIDERfit Kids
www.powerfulplayground.com