Are you looking for a fitness game that works well for preschoolers? I’m going to share my thoughts and ideas on how to use the Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game with preschoolers! This fitness game is great for Dr. Seuss’s birthday, Dr. Seuss Week, the month of March, or, really, any time of the year.
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HOW TO USE THE CAT IN THE HAT I CAN DO THAT! GAME WITH A PRESCHOOLER – YOUTUBE VIDEO
My 3-year-old niece, Zoey, and I played this game to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2! Zoey demonstrates with me how to use the Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game with a preschooler in this video!
Watch the How to Use the Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game with a Preschooler YouTube video!
Royalty Free Music from MusicCatRF.com
IDEAS FOR USING THE CAT IN THE HAT I CAN DO THAT! GAME WITH A PRESCHOOLER
The Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game is recommended for ages 4 and up. So, I made some slight alterations to the game to use it with Zoey, who’s 3. She had a blast with this game and asked to keep playing it. We played it for over 25 minutes, and she would have happily continued with the game if we didn’t need to get on with our other Dr. Seuss birthday activities.
I definitely will be playing this game with her more! I love that it encourages movement and an enjoyment of fitness for kids.
I placed all the items in a basket except for the trick-a-ma-stick and the cards. This kept the area organized and clear of tripping hazards. It also encourages putting an item away after finishing using it.
As Zoey and I continued to play the fitness game, we flipped the card and placed it below each pile. Where you want to put the cards and piles is completely up to your personal preference and what will be simplest for your preschooler.
Here are some of the ideas and alterations I made for using this game with a preschooler:
- Use only number 1 and 2 cards and leave off the number 3 cards. This worked really well to introduce the game to Zoey, and she picked it up right away without any confusion or discouragement. This is a great way to prevent a young child from being discouraged, since the number 3 cards add an extra level of difficulty. This is what is shown in the first part of the video.
- Leave out the “stop” cards and take turns after each number 1 and 2 card has been performed together. The full game uses “stop” cards. This could be used with a preschooler, but it simplifies the game and helps a preschooler understand how the game works better to trade off taking turns.
- If your preschooler is comfortable with all the number 1 and 2 cards and appears ready to have the number 3 cards added to the mix, look at the cards and select the cards you think your preschooler will be successful with. You can gradually add the number 3 cards in until all of them played. They do not have to be introduced all together. It’s important for your preschooler to feel successful with the game to really encourage a love for exercise and learning. This is shown near the end of the video where the number 3 card was “behind your back,” meaning Zoey had to walk backwards (from card number 1) hold the boat (from card number 2) behind her back (from card number 3).
- Saying “I can do that!” on each turn is optional. I think saying “I can do that!” for each turn is optional because it can add an extra part to remember. The child could feel discouraged if he or she forgets to say it. It can be a motivational and positive sentence to affirm by saying each turn if you feel it will be helpful for your preschooler and situation.
More Dr. Seuss Inspired Fitness Activities
Cat in the Hat Workout for Kids and Kids at Heart
Cat in the Hat Hop On One Leg Exercise for Kids
Thing 1 and Thing 2 Running with a Kite Exercise for Kids
Dr. Seuss Inspired Snack and Recipe
Vegan Pesto Scramble {Dr. Seuss Inspired Green Eggs}
MORE DR. SEUSS ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS (AT LIVING MONTESSORI NOW)
- Dr. Seuss with a Touch of Montessori
- Montessori-Inspired Dr. Seuss Activities
- Montessori-Inspired One Fish, Two Fish Math Activities
- Montessori-Inspired Lorax Activities
- Cat in the Hat Practical Life Activities
- 50+ Montessori-Inspired Dr. Seuss Activities
- 30+ Dr. Seuss Inspired Phonics Activities
- {Dr. Seuss Inspired} Cat in the Hat Sensory Bin
- Free Apple Printable for Ten Apples Up On Top Activities (Instant Download)
- Ten Apples Up On Top Sensory Bin & Table (Free Printables)
- Ten Apples Up On Top Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
- Dr. Seuss Unit Study Pinterest Board
FREE Printable Dice Fitness Games
I’ve created dice fitness games that you can print out for FREE and use with your kids, relatives, students, or groups. These can be fun fitness games for toddlers, preschoolers, kids of all ages, and even adults! Check out my free kids’ printables category and posts below.
SIMPLE AND FUN FROG LEAP ACTIVITY FOR KIDS {FREE PRINTABLE}
Check out my “Simple and Fun Frog Leap Activity for Kids” post for another fun fitness for kids printable plus ideas of activity trays you can easily prepare with these printables. Since she was 2 years old, my niece, Zoey, has brought out a dice printable to do on her own or with a family member. So adorable and an awesome way to get kids loving to move from an early age. This was the first dice printable Zoey used!
POLAR BEAR GROWLS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the polar bear growls exercise and to get the FREE Polar Bear Growls Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
PENGUIN WADDLES EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the penguin waddles exercise and to get the FREE Penguin Waddles Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
JINGLE BELL JUMPS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the jingle bell jumps exercise and to get the FREE Jingle Bells Jumps Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
RACCOON WALKS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the raccoon walks exercise and to get the FREE Raccoon Walks Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
ANT CRAWLS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the ant crawls exercise and to get the FREE Ant Crawls Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
FISH SWIMMING EXERCISE TUTORIALS AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Check out my blog post with YouTube videos and tutorials on how to do the swimming exercises and get the One Fish, Two Fish, FREE Fish Swimming Dice Printable {Dr. Seuss, Finding Nemo, Ocean, and Pet Themes Instant Download}!
BUNNY HOPS EXERCISE TUTORIALS AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Check out my blog post with YouTube videos and tutorials on how to do the bunny hops exercise options and to get the FREE Bunny Hops Dice Printable {Spring, Easter, Peter Rabbit, and Pet Themes Instant Download}!
BUTTERFLY FLAPS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the butterfly flaps exercise and to get the FREE Butterfly Flaps Dice Printable {Spring, Summer, and Nature Themes Instant Download}!
DUCK WALKS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the duck walks exercise and to get the FREE Duck Walks Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
HORSE GALLOPS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the horse gallops exercise and to get the FREE Horse Gallops Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
RECYCLING CRUSHES EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the recycling crushes exercise and to get the FREE Recycling Crushes Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
CAR RACING LAPS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the car racing laps exercise and to get the FREE Car Racing Laps Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
WHALE BREACHES EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the whale breaches exercise and to get the FREE Whale Breaches Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
SNAIL CRAWLS EXERCISE TUTORIAL AND YOUTUBE VIDEO
Check out my blog post with a YouTube video and tutorial on how to do the snail crawls exercise and to get the FREE Snail Crawls Dice Printable {Fitness & Counting Instant Download}!
DICE FITNESS GAMES
Here’s a Dice Fitness Game I created for kids and adults that uses regular dice!
HAVE FUN!
Zoey and I had a lot of fun doing the Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game on Dr. Seuss’s birthday! I know we will be using it often throughout the year. It’s perfect for Dr. Seuss themed activities, but it really does work year-round.
Check out my fitness for kids category for more exercises for kids, fitness games, and more. Also, check out my dance fitness category and workouts category for dance workouts, Pilates & strength workouts, and flexibility workouts.
Have you, your child(ren), or your students tried the Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game? What age will you do this game with or have you done this game with?
Have fun!
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