Let's Get Moving!

Music and Movement at School

At school we incorporate movement into many parts of our day. We sing and dance during group meetings and many of our classrooms have center dedicated to exploring music and dance concepts. We may also do stretches, yoga, or other "brain breaks." We also have gross motor time. Schools with a playground go outside whenever weather permits and the children at the ECDC go to the gym. During gross motor time, the children have opportunities to develop a variety of physical skills while getting exercise and having fun with their friends and teachers.

What can this look like at home?

Freeze Dance - play music and invite your child to use different dance moves. Remind your child that he/she must listen for when the music stops. When the music is stopped, he/she must freeze in the pose that they are in. Pause the music frequently.

Tissue Dance- Place a tissue on your child's head and tell him/her that the rule of the game is to not let the tissue touch the floor. Play music and encourage your child to balance the tissue on his/her head as he/she is dancing.

Red Light, Green Light - Use a red, yellow and green sheet of paper or use white paper to create each color using markers, crayons, etc.. Show your child were to line up at and place yourself at a distance from your child. Explain that the rules of the game is to try to reach the caller (person holding the red, yellow and green signs). Green- go, Yellow - go slow, Red- STOP. Give your child a certain way to travel (hopping/ crawling / leaping, tip-toeing) as he/she tries to reach you.

Create an obstacle course using furniture, cushions, etc. Invite your child to use different movements to travel through the course (crawling, balancing, hopping)

Use index cards or paper to make alphabet cards. Play music as your child walks around the cards. Stop the music and have your child identify the letter he/she is near. You can also ask child to produce the letter sound.

Use everyday household items to create musical instruments. If using recyclable items: invite your child to design and decorate his/her instrument!

Write the BINGO song on a chart. Chant song together a few times. Next invite your child to perform an action [jump/clap] as you spell B-I-N-G-O out.

Gather 10 empty bottles and label them with numerals. Using a small or light weight ball, invite your child to roll the ball and knock down the bottles. Ask your child to identify the numerals knocked down or left standing.

Reuse old cardboard boxes to play a tossing game. Line up one box on each step of a staircase or on the floor. Allow your child to throw soft or small balls into the boxes. Compare the amounts of balls in each box. How many in each? Which has more? Which has less?