"teaching" under 5's

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goldypops

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Hi, know I read a post about this previously but cant remember what was said!
Does anyone know of any good books to teach young children riding. Know my 2 (3 and 5yrs) only have a short attention spans and I dont want to teach them as such but I'm just running short on fun ideas. They are both on the lead rein and we've done the round the world, picking things off barrels as we pass, touching various parts of body, eyes closed and riding backwards! but now at a loss!!! any thoughts/ideas welcome or book titles of ideas!
thanks!!!
 
There's a very good book which i read ages ago about teaching children. It has a rocking horse on the front..

Mine are 3 and 8. I found I can teach them to a certain extent but then they just shut off and don't want to hear what mummy says. My eldest has now been passed onto an experienced and fun instructor who is working wonders with him.

My youngest performs 'magic'. I knot each rein and show her how to hold each 'wand' under the knot, and show her how pulling one rein 'magically' turns the pony. "Wow, you can perform magic!!" and ditto with stopping. We work with numbers, one kick for walk on (and voice) and two quick kicks for trot (works with most kiddie proof ponies).

We go for long hacks and take picnics, collect feathers and flowers to put in the pony's bridle and mane, do treasure hunts, where we have to find some sheep's wool, a pigeon feather, a leaf from an oak tree etc. This usually encourages lots of mounting and dismounting.

Working with cones is good fun, and poles on the floor which they have to steer in and out of.
 
When i helped out at the RDA we would play games like red light, do serpentines, then do competition on who could stand up in their stirrups the whole length down the arena.

They would teach the kids that the reins were like handbars of a bike, ride without stirrups, who could keep there hands on their hats the longest. They put a few trot poles in the middle and when they walked over the poles they went into the jumping position

The favourite was touching different body parts of themselves (toes, head) or the horses (head, tail - well point to it lol)
 
Something else to borrow from RDA lessons is rainbow reins. They have stretches of different colours all down the length of the rein so you can tell the child, hold the red part, now the blue etc etc. They are brilliant. You can also play counting games like walk for 10 steps then trot for 5 and so on. You can set up a slalem with cones - good for teaching steering. You can play riding round to a letter in the arena and naming a part of the pony (or anything) starting with that letter or sound. Gets kiddies concentrating on other things so they forget to get too wound up in what ned is/isn't doing. If you have 2 sensible kiddies, they can play horseback tag, only in walk! Can get very competitive though. I'd recommend talking to your local RDA to check out the great equipment they use - they might be able to order you some or you can look at the catalogue and shamelessly steal the ideas!
 


Robinsons do rainbow reins for about £8 a pair (I think)
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with some of my younger pupils i do songs for trotting it helps them breathe and get a better rhythm going.
and even if they don't know any songs every one knows happy bithday or wish you a merry xmas i know but it works.
 
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