Spring

Welcome Spring!  We are all feeling the energy of the season!  There are so many rich science connections we can make with creative movement in the Spring: life cycles of animals, such as butterflies and frogs, how plants grow, and the weather, to name a few.

In May we’ll have movement activities related to Sea Life, and we’ll dance the water cycle using scarves.  Children love the added dance component of using props.  Earlier this month we used the ribbon streamers to dance like the wind.  We became marching bands using the percussion instruments.  And last week I set up an obstacle course using the mats, cones, hoops, and the tunnel.  At the end of our school year, I always have a session with the parachute outdoors.

Sometime after Spring Break you will be hearing about an opportunity to visit and see some of what we have learned in Creative Movement in May.  It is hard to believe that we are already thinking about the end of the preschool year!  I have had such a wonderful time dancing and playing with your children – I only hope they have had as much fun as I have.  

February

It's the second half of the school year, and in Creative Movement we'll be adding to our repertoire. In January we will be focusing on some new movement concepts. One of them is moving through space: in different directions, pathways, and on different levels. Snow and ice themes are great vehicles to accomplish these movement goals. We'll be working on the locomotor skill of sliding, to "skate" in straight or curvy lines, either forward, sideways, or backward, by ourselves and with partners. We'll review our study of shapes as we FREEZE in different shapes, both alone and in groups, making unique ice sculptures,

Both the partner work and the work in groups introduce the idea of dancing in relationship with others, another basic movement concept, and one which has obvious social benefits. We'll be "connecting" with our friends by pretending to freeze together using our elbows, knees, backs, etc. We've been learning to respect each other's space when we move through space without touching; now we'll learn how to respect each other's bodies as we treat each other with care.

A highlight of our February creative movement sessions will be Valentine's Day. In addition to activities making and traveling around heart shapes, we'll be dancing our feelings. This brings with it the dance component of effort, or quality of movement: from strong and heavy, or tense, to light, free and flowing. This can be a very powerful experience for children. It is helpful for them to become more aware of how their bodies move when are sad, fearful, or mad, as well as when they feel happy, excited or brave.

As always, in Creative Movement my goal is to have fun while meeting all these movement and learning objectives.

November

All the classes have made a great start in Creative Movement this year. Here is a brief look at some of what we have done in our sessions:

We start our time together by clapping or jumping the sounds in our names. Rhythm is an integral part of any movement program; we have had fun working with the lummi sticks. In November we will learn the "Indian rhythm" (slow, quick, quick) on the drums, and do a Native American dance.

We have also been focusing on identifying and moving our body parts in different ways. We always stretch and warm up our bodies before beginning to travel through space. We have been focusing on traveling in a circle, using different locomotor movements such as galloping, sliding, jumping, and tiptoeing.

We have begun using different shapes in our activities as well. Fall colored scarves helped us dance a falling leaf dance, swirling and fluttering down to land in leaf shapes. We pulled out the tumbling mats, and did some simple shape rolls. Recently we used the hoops to play circle games.

I hope your children are having as much fun as I am! Please feel free to stop by and see me in Room 1 on Thursday or Friday mornings if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Note: It is a good idea to dress your child in clothing that allows for ease of movement on Fridays. Please try to avoid tight fitting pants. Girls will feel more comfortable in stretchy pants, or with tights or shorts under their dresses. Crocs, and shoes with no backs or slippery soles are problematic. Sneakers work well.

September

As part of our program at Lord of Life preschool your children will go to room 1 for a 20 minute Creative Movement session every Thursday or Friday, depending on their class. By way of introduction I would like to provide an overview of this program.

There are so many benefits to Creative Movement, it is hard to list them all, but I will outline many of them here. We are all aware of the health benefits of physical exercise, including increased flexibility, strength, and coordination. We will begin class with age-appropriate stretches and warm-ups. Some form of locomotor movement, such as galloping, jumping, hopping, and sliding, is always included, providing some aerobic benefits.

Children will learn body part awareness and control, and be exposed to the dance elements of shape, rhythm, time, space, and quality of movement. Simple percussion instruments will be used for rhythm experiences. Props such as scarves, bean bags, and hoops are also used to enhance the theme of the day. Occasionally we'll use the mats for tumbling fun.

Studies have shown a direct correlation between the right/left brain integration of movement activities and cognitive development in young children. Movement activities such as patterns and sequencing, and a focus on the dance elements of shape, rhythm, and space reinforce early language and math concepts.

Perhaps most importantly, when children attend Creative Movement they will have the opportunity for creative expression, and so "own" their movement, allowing for increased confidence and self-esteem. Their thoughts, ideas, imagination, and feelings are all taken into consideration, leading to joyful experiences. Children learn to respect each other's space and ideas, and have fun with non-competitive movement games, yielding positive social benefits as well.

Please feel free to come see me anytime if you have any questions about the Creative Movement program. I always post a note outside Room #1 so that you can see what we do each week, and I will put periodic updates on the LOL website. I'm looking forward to an exciting and creative year with your children!