The Buzzi Bodies Story

Twelve years ago, a group of enthusiastic teachers began to work on a programme of lesson plans and resources for pre-school and primary school children. They saw the need for a high quality, challenging and structured programme that would enhance and enrich Early Childhood Development in South Africa.

In 2012, “Buzzi Bodies” was developed as a gross-motor development programme.

Our Mission:

• ·         We aim to equip pre-school, foundation phase and intermediate phase children with the skills they need to excel in a wide variety of sport codes offered in both private and public primary schools.
• ·         To teach children the specific skills and terminology needed to participate and excel in these sport codes while building confidence and most importantly while having fun.
• ·         To incorporate the teaching of colours, numbers, names of sport apparatus, good listening skills, and the ability to follow instructions into the Buzzi Bodies programme.
• ·         To optimise the potential of children by providing a comprehensive age-appropriate and structured programme of stimulating activities.
• ·        To prepare children for life by focussing on the values and skills needed for success and fulfilment in the future.

The Buzzi Bodies Focus:

•  ·         Physical Development / Physical Literacy. (Gross and fine-motor development, Locomotor and non-locomotor movement [balance and co-ordination], Manipulative movement [hand-eye coordination], Fitness, Brain gym, Exercise, Growth, Nutrition, Health.)
• ·         Cognitive Development. (Acquisition of knowledge, experience, thinking skills, problem solving, analysing.)
• ·        Emotional Development. (Self-esteem, security, EQ– emotional intelligence.)
• ·         Social Development. (Interaction, moral principles, values, conflict resolution, negotiation, etc.)
• ·         Perceptual Development. (Spatial orientation, fine & gross motor skills, directionality, recognition, the senses, comprehension, sequencing, etc.)

The Buzzi Bodies Programme Creator and Facilitator:

Brett Adam taught in both the Foundation phase and Intermediate phase for seven years. Apart from teaching various subjects, he was primary school counsellor and sports coach. He is the Marketing Manager of ‘Beyond Potential’, and also developer and facilitator of the “Buzzi Bodies” physical education and gross-motor development programme.

Brett taught PE in the Foundation and the Intermediate Phase for a prestigious private school. He has the following qualifications: BEd (Unisa), Level 1 First Aid, Level 1 Bakers Cricket coaching qualification, Numerous counselling and grief and bereavement certificates/courses, and an ITE (CTI) Information Technology Engineering Diploma.

The Buzzi Bodies Physical Education – Gross Motor programme:

Children enjoy a 30-45 minute Buzzi Bodies lesson every week at their school. (2 coaches – 5-15 children)

Each lesson is broken into three parts:

·         Warm up and description of activities

·         Lesson content / actual activities / practicing actual skill

·         Conclusion / feedback and cool down

Each lesson is well prepared and is designed to achieve at least one specific gross motor development goal.

Coaches take notes throughout the lesson for assessment purposes. Any issues or achievements are noted and a full 10 page report will be given to the parents three times a year.

The Buzzi Bodies programme starts with simple fun lessons and progresses to more difficult activities as each child becomes more confident.

Buzzi Bodies goes the extra mile:

·         Buzzi Bodies coaches run free holiday workshops every term for children on holiday care.

·         The Buzzi Bodies Coaches are more than willing to organise and run sports / family fun days at schools (Send information to parents, organise sponsors and provide entertainment for the children.)

·         We also run workshops for teachers, giving them ideas for Gross-Motor activities that could be done during class time. Teachers can don their “takkies” and participate in many of the activities we usually do with the children!