Baby Orson is lying on a mat on the floor. His father lies down next to him and copies his movements. The two of them are next to each other, waving their arms and legs. Dad can see the world from his baby's perspective. Orson clutches at his own feet.
By playing these kinds of games, Orson is learning about where the various parts of his body are in relation to each other. The presence of his responsive father, not only admiring his actions, but also mimicking his movements while talking and encouraging him on, helps to turn the experience into one that builds brain development as well as healthy muscles and physical co-ordination.
Repeating the movements in the game helps co-ordinate Orson's sensory motor development, and increases the density of the neuron connections in his brain.
GOOD PRACTICE
1 Practitioners working with babies and their families can do a great deal to increase awareness of the value of movement play.
Jabadao, the national centre for movement, learning and health, promotes good practice in this area and has excellent ideas for working with parents.
These ideas focus on the five aspects of 'developmental movement play' which are believed to be significant to an infant's neurological development:
1 Floor play - on front or back, lying, rocking, rolling, reaching, watching, touching hands and toes to mouth
2 Tummy time - belly crawling, wriggling, rolling on ground, whole body involved
3 Crawling - on all fours, moving between hands, knees, balancing, travelling
4 Spinning, tipping, tilting - getting dizzy, falling off balance
5 Pushing, pulling, hanging, stretching - rough and tumble, finding your limits!
2 Research is now telling us that the five aspects of movement play outlined above have an important role to play in neurological and cognitive, as well as physical, development.
For example, it has been noted that there are differences in the brain patterns of babies who have not yet started crawling and those who have, and there are differences again in those who are experienced crawlers (see From Birth to One - The year of opportunity by Maria Robinson, p113).
Being encouraged to crawl for the fun of it might have a positive impact on a child's later ability to learn, so we need to provide them with plenty of space and opportunities for it to happen.
This is why it is important that practitioners find time during the day for spontaneous as well as structured movement play with young children.
3 Because movement is such a vital part of children's lives, it is even more crucial that we don't discourage and inhibit free-flow play that allows children to wallow in their movements and actions.
'Free-flow play enables children to apply what they know, reflect on it, use it in different ways, experiment and explore with what they know and have learnt of relationships, feeling, ideas, thought and the movement of their bodies' (Tina Bruce, Developing Learning in Early Childhood, p167).
Remember the joy of spinning until you were too dizzy to stand up? Do you find yourself now discouraging children from playing in this way? What about rolling around on the carpet, crawling across the floor or sprawling on your tummy to read a book or draw a picture? These are all activities that are often frowned on in classrooms, yet are very important in young children's engagement with their bodies. And the sad truth is that missing out on these experiences (or learning too soon to feel inhibited about them) can have life-long disadvantages.
4 When planning for movement play, create a special place indoors for a 'movement corner', where children can use the floor space freely.
- Have lots of cushions of varying sizes and observe how inventive children can be with them. For structured small-group sessions, give each child their own cushion to use as they like.
- Keep a collection of ribbons, silk and chiffon scarves. Throw them up in the air and blow them, or dance and twirl around with them.
- Bubbles and feathers provide endless opportunities for movement play.
- Cotton wool balls are great for indoor throwing, hiding in clothing, or blowing across the floor.
- Attach stickers to noses, ears, fingers, knees and so on to increase sensation and encourage the naming of body parts.
- Soft exercise balls are great for whole-body rolling, as well as sitting and bouncing.
- Provide music CDs that children can select themselves for dancing indoors and out.
- Provide clipboards so that children can draw and write in any position.
- Encourage crawling (at all ages) by putting activities and resources on the floor.
- Make the most of grassy areas and slopes outdoors for rolling and tumbling.
- Take photographs and videos of children's movement play and dance. Use data projectors and other equipment to display them, to encourage discussion and use of movement vocabulary.
- Remember that some children may be more likely to dance if they feel they are not being observed.
- Think about how you organise carpet sessions so that children can be comfortable when listening to stories. Do you offer a variety of options, including cushions and stools and enough room for sprawling comfortably?
4 Remember, some games don't need any props, just willing bodies. Don't forget to let yourself go and join in!
You don't need any props for:
- Blowing raspberries on tummies
- Doing finger drawings on the children's backs while telling a story
- Pretending to eat fingers and toes - with lots of munching sounds!
To make the most of all opportunities for movement play:
- Get down on the floor as much as you can and look at the world from children's perspective.
- Don't feel you have to lead the action all the time. Follow the children's lead and mimic their movements.
- Find out about national and local organisations that promote movement play.
References and further reading:
- Maria Robinson, From Birth to One - The year of opportunity, Open University Press
- Tina Bruce, Developing Learning in Early Childhood, Paul Chapman
- Margot Sunderland, The Science of Parenting, Dorling Kindersley
For training in movement play:
- www.ludusdance.org (contact Anna Daly)
Further information
The still photos are from Siren Films' 'The Wonder Year - First year development and shaping the brain'. For more information, visit Siren Films at www.sirenfilms.co.uk or call 0191 232 7900
Links to EYFS Guidance
- UC 1.1 Child Development
- PR 2.3 Supporting Learning
- EE 3.3 The Learning Environment
- L&D 4.2 Active Learning.
