April 23, 2019

Movement-Based Activities for the Classroom

Movement-Based SEL Activities for the Classroom Children love to move! As educators, we enjoy engaging young children in playful and fun movement explorations. These activities also help children develop valuable skills. 

Some of the benefits of movement for children are readily apparent: 

Children are physically active, usually practicing large-motor skills; they are gaining body awareness; and they are developing spatial awareness as they move in different directions in the shared space. 

If there is a musical component, children are also learning to recognize and move to a beat and to discern rhythmic patterns. However, one of the wonderful gifts of creative movement is that it also provides a perfect vehicle for nurturing social-emotional skills. 

The very nature of creative dance (also called creative movement) embodies the idea of creativity and developing self-awareness. Some other SEL skills that are often addressed through guided creative dance are delayed gratification, impulse control, goal setting, individual or group problem-solving, teamwork, self-discipline, and group cooperation.

Enjoy,

Ms. Nora Sierra

EC Assistant Principal

Discovery School

(504) 9500-1720