Chairs are a super-versatile resource that offer a range of opportunities to support physical development in different environments. They also provide many possibilities for language development, especially involving concepts of space, shape, measure and position. Negotiating, collaborating and exploring can also be enjoyed as children engage with something safe and familiar.
Chairs come in many shapes, sizes, colours, textures and materials. They may be situated indoors, outside; be static, moveable, or rockable. They may belong to a particular person (e.g. teacher, grandparent, baby), be placed in a specific space (e.g. around a table, by the TV or desk) and have different functions (e.g. to work or play).
CHAIR FUNFAIR
Physically
They are useful for practising a range of fun physical skills that require strength and balance.
- Young children use chair legsto pull themselves up to standing, often patting the seat when they get there.
- Sitting under a chair and keeping very still, crawling out and in, backwards and forwards, can be a challenge.
- So too is carrying different sized objects to place under, beside, around or to cover the seat.
- Pushing chairs when starting to walk is frequently seen.
Emotionally
Chairs feature in many stories; Goldilocks, for example.
- At home, children may have their own chair to sit on for mealtimes that feels safe and secure.
- As they grow, they get used to sharing chairs and moving them around for different activities.
- They may also share space with their chairs when sitting next to or opposite someone.
- They can choose where to place their chairs, alone or in company.
HOW TO USE CHAIRS TO SUPPORT PD
Chairs can provide a range of opportunities to support development of locomotor (movement) and gross-motor skills. All the following ideas may be enjoyed by groups or individuals.
ACTIVITY TO SUPPORT TRAVELLING SKILLS
1. Place chairs in a line – with wide gaps in between
- Invite children to crawl on hands and knees as fast as possible in and out of the chairs.
- To make this more challenging, walk on knees only with elbows tucked in.
- Now make the gaps between chairs smaller. Ask children to walk around the chairs very fast with hands on their heads.
- Now try jumping around the chairs with feet together.
- Now run.
2. Push the chairs together, seats facing the same way
- Invite children to sit on chairs with hands on knees, quickly stand up and sit down, then jump up and sit, bounce on bottoms.
- Ask children to shuffle on their bottoms along the line of chairs. When they get to the end, run around and start again.
- Take turns to walk unaided along the line of chairs.
ACTIVITY TO SUPPORT BALANCE AND CO-ORDINATION
3. Place chairs in a ‘scatter’ formation
- Walk around the chairs without touching them or each other.
- At a specific signal, ask children to balance on a chair, e.g. put knees on the seat and arms in the air, etc.
AS CHILDREN GROW AND DEVELOP
- Use chairs as much as possible throughout the day to practise motor skills.
- Include chairs in an active ‘circle time’, e.g. swap places.
- Use as a transition resource between activities.
- Extend language possibilities by carrying and placing chairs in different positions.
- Create different tasks: e.g. ask children to put a bean bag under/beside/around the chair.
TAKING IT FORWARDS
- Make balances more challenging and include in movement combinations.
- Add chairs to short obstacle courses.
- Invite children to create their own ways of travelling around chairs, or balancing on them.
- Create games.
PD FOR ADULTS
- If sitting – wiggle.
- Twist gently to touch one side of the chair then the other – stretch when possible.
Dr Lala Manners is a physical development trainer and director of Active Matters
