Young Children - May 2008 - (Page 27) Childhood Classrooms Establishing movement activities The daily schedule can include specific times for movement activities, times when children tend to be fidgety or low on energy. Below are explanations of movement activities for five times of the day: morning, mid morning, after lunch, and afternoon or after nap (depending on whether children in your class nap). Some are performed with chants or songs. You can create your own transformer base by choosing a few components that match the skill levels of the children in your classroom and fit with your teaching style. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when leading movement activities with children: • Begin and end each activity with deep, slow breaths to center the mind. • Count or sing to make the routines easier for children to remember. • Use helicopter spins (explained in “Refocus in Mid Morning,” p. 28) to teach spatial awareness. • Model the movements— explain, demonstrate, and let children practice. • Follow an eight count for repetitions, as most of the rhythms and chants are in 4/4 time. Begin the transformers by discussing a few guidelines with children. For example, you might remind children to “Use your inside voices” and “Concentrate on the body part you are moving.” Have children practice taking deep breaths, focusing on inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. Ask them, “Can you hear the quiet sound of your breath?” Clear presentation is critical in using transformers. Patiently model new exercises or variations, being sure all children have a complete grasp of the movements involved so everyone can perform competently. Start small and build onto a transformer over time. Children are likely to experience less frustration and more success if you add to already familiar transformers instead of frequently introducing new ones. Building on familiar exercises also brings a sense of novelty while allowing children to use their prior knowledge. The following movement experiences include many steps and variations, so teachers can introduce new twists over time. Use the steps suggested here, or create your own! Focus energy in the morning Deep breathing and a strong core are the foundation of all transformers. Including these basics in the first transformers of the day reminds children how to perform them correctly. Start by leading the children in Early Morning Big Breaths to increase oxygen to the brain, improve posture, and increase attentiveness. Explain to children, 1. Stand tall with your core strong. 2. Place your hands on your rib cage. 3. Breathe slowly and deeply. 4. Breathe deeply again, raising your arms overhead as you inhale and puffing out your cheeks and lowering your arms as you exhale. 5. Inhale slowly and exhale, making a quiet sound: Shhhhhhhhhh. When children take big breaths with their hands on their ribs, they can feel their rib cage expand and contract. Have them puff their cheeks and “blow like the wind” when exhaling. Using imagery makes transformers fun and the steps easier to remember. To help children grasp the concept of tightening the core, lead them in placing their hands on their stomachs and drumming lightly. Explain that this is the body’s center, which helps with balance when we tighten it. Have children lean back slightly while still drumming, to sense the tightened stomach muscles. Tell them to use their tightened core muscles to help them stand up straight. All say shhhhhhhh, with hands on the stomach to feel the diaphragm tighten. Young Children • May 2008 27
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