Movement and Kinetics
- Before children have the ability to speak, they communicate through movement.
- Speech is a complex motor skill that develops after children have the ability to understand their needs.
- Movement can be used for communication (sign language), comfort (rocking and bouncing), fun (whirling, spinning, Simon Says, etc.), exercise, and transportation.
- Books that encourage fun through movement are great for emphasizing print motivation.
Science Center -- Instead of offering a craft at the end of your toddler or preschool storytimes, try one of these ideas:
- Kinetic Toys: Make a display of these simple machines: a lever, a wheel and axle, an inclined plane, and a pulley. These may be easily made from found objects. Have various small objects on the table that children may use to experiment with the machines: toy cars, doll house people, small blocks, etc. Allow children and caregivers to experiment with the simple machines. You may want to include some printed cards that explain what each machine is, and how/why it works. This way, older children can learn the science behind the machines, while the younger children enjoy playing.
- *Walk the Tightrope: Using various colors of masking tape or washi tape, tape out paths on the floor for the children to follow. Older children will be able to walk heel to toe, just like a tightrope walker in the circus! You can also make it harder by having children walk the line sideways or backwards.
- *Peek-a-boo: For very young children, cover various objects with a scarf and have the children find it by pulling off the scarf. This promotes hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and object permanence.
- *Scarf Dancing: Encourage children and their caregivers to dance freely with their scarves to the music. (I find Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies from "Fantasia" to be a particularly fun song to dance to with scarves!) Scarf dancing promotes cross-lateral movements (crossing the mid-line) and develops body and space relationships, agility, and flexibility.
- Let's Move: Have a box with a variety of movement props -- bean bags, scarves, streamers, hula hoops, etc. -- and place it in an area with space for movement. Encourage children and caregivers to try out the various props.
Fun to Do Together
Freeze Dance
Children naturally love this game well into elementary school. Toddlers will begin to understand the concept of freezing when you turn the music off, but you may have to demonstrate how it works. Get caregivers involved by having them move and dance with their child.
What You Need
A radio, CD player, or other music playing device
Space to move around
What You Do
Freeze Dance
Children naturally love this game well into elementary school. Toddlers will begin to understand the concept of freezing when you turn the music off, but you may have to demonstrate how it works. Get caregivers involved by having them move and dance with their child.
What You Need
A radio, CD player, or other music playing device
Space to move around
What You Do
- Explain to the children and their caregivers that you are going to play the Freeze Dance. When the music stops, they need to stop dancing. When the music starts again, they may resume.
- If you have the Freeze Dance song by Greg and Steve, you will not need to stop the music, otherwise, press pause, or turn down the volume and shout "Freeze!" Once everyone has frozen (usually except the littlest ones), resume the music and tell them to "Dance!" You may try other movements like hopping, bending, or spinning if you would like.
A Tip for Successful Early Literacy Programming
Do you see all the caregivers sitting around the circle chatting and not participating? Do you also see all the children who aren't really sure what they're supposed to be doing? That's because babies and toddlers really don't care what we as presenters are doing. They care what their caregiver is doing. So if their caregiver isn't participating, neither will they. I pretty much make everyone participate at all my programming (nicely of course!) and remind them that their children want to emulate them, not me. And I also remind them that there will be time for chatting at the end of the program. Some caregivers may also need reminding that not all children are in the same place developmentally and its perfectly acceptable to help them complete the movements, or to dance with them, instead of dancing separately.
Do you see all the caregivers sitting around the circle chatting and not participating? Do you also see all the children who aren't really sure what they're supposed to be doing? That's because babies and toddlers really don't care what we as presenters are doing. They care what their caregiver is doing. So if their caregiver isn't participating, neither will they. I pretty much make everyone participate at all my programming (nicely of course!) and remind them that their children want to emulate them, not me. And I also remind them that there will be time for chatting at the end of the program. Some caregivers may also need reminding that not all children are in the same place developmentally and its perfectly acceptable to help them complete the movements, or to dance with them, instead of dancing separately.
*This is the Way the Cowboys Ride: This is one of my favorite songs from when I was little and it's still one of my favorite songs to do at my smaller in-home storytimes. (Though this horse is getting tired in its old age!) For older children, this song could easily be adapted to one where they gallop around, instead of being bounced. This video explains the gist of the song, but it doesn't have the "right" words. (Because of course, the only right ones are the ones from when I was little.) The proper words are listed below:
(slow, sedated bouncing or galloping) This is the way the town folk ride, the town folk ride, the town folk ride.
This is the way the town folk ride, so early in the morning.
(bumpy bouncing or galloping, alternating which leg is up) This is the way the country folk ride, the country folk ride, the country folk ride.
This is the way the country folk ride, so early in the morning.
(medium speed bouncing or galloping) This is the way the cowboys ride, the cowboys ride, the cowboys ride.
This is the way the cowboys ride, so early in the morning.
(fastest bouncing or galloping you can -- or that is safe) This is the way the (child's name) rides, the (child's name) rides, the (child's name) rides.
This is the way the (child's name) rides, so early in the morning.
(And then you drop them in a hole. Its the best part!)
(slow, sedated bouncing or galloping) This is the way the town folk ride, the town folk ride, the town folk ride.
This is the way the town folk ride, so early in the morning.
(bumpy bouncing or galloping, alternating which leg is up) This is the way the country folk ride, the country folk ride, the country folk ride.
This is the way the country folk ride, so early in the morning.
(medium speed bouncing or galloping) This is the way the cowboys ride, the cowboys ride, the cowboys ride.
This is the way the cowboys ride, so early in the morning.
(fastest bouncing or galloping you can -- or that is safe) This is the way the (child's name) rides, the (child's name) rides, the (child's name) rides.
This is the way the (child's name) rides, so early in the morning.
(And then you drop them in a hole. Its the best part!)