CREATIVE MOVEMENTS

1. CREATIVE MOVEMENTS • Movement that reflects the mood or inner state of a child and they are free to express their own personalities in their own style. • Physical movements is the young child’s first means of nonverbal communication. • Through creative movement activities a child is able to express her creative self in a very natural way.

2. CREATIVE MOVEMENTS • Creative movement can be done to poetry, music, rhythm or even silence • If creative movement is a regular part of young child’s curriculum, a number of objectives may be reached. • Relaxation and freedom in the use of the body. • Experience in expressing space, time, and weight. • Increased awareness of the world • Improvement of coordination and rhythmic interpretation.

3. PLANNING CREATIVE MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES TO MEET YOUNG CHILDREN’S NEEDS • GUIDELINES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS • Teachers need to keep in mind the characteristics of each age group. • Instructions needs to be followed by many opportunities for practice. • Several different activities should be incorporate use of a particular skill, thus allowing for extended overall practice time and preventing children from getting bored. • Teachers may want to prepare 2 or 3 movement activities.

4. USING POETRY AND MUSIC TO STIMULATE CREATIVE MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES • Music • Listening to music is a natural way to introduce creative movement. • Distinctive types of music or rhythm should be chosen for initial movement experience. • Some basic concepts for teachers to remember when using music for creative movements are • The teacher makes it clear that anything the children want to do is alright, as long as it does not harm them or others. • The child is allowed to “copy” someone for a start if desired. • The children are encouraged to respect each other as different and able to move in different ways. • Encourage children to experience freedom of movement, the relationship of movement to space, and the relationship of movements to others.

5. CREATIVE MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES WITH MUSIC AND A PARTNER • Face your partner and do a “mirror dance” with your hands and arms. • Hold hand with partner and slide, leap, gallop etc. • Move the same way your partner moves. • Because older children may be self-conscious you may need other kinds of ways to encourage their creative movements. • A small group activity involving mirror movements, copying and shadowing movements is appropriate for older children.

6. Poetry and prose • For creative movements, poetry has rhythm as well as the power of language. • Poems should be chosen that fit the young child's level of appreciation. • Older children are able to sustain their interest for longer period of time and enjoy the procedure of listening, picking out roles, and acting out what is read. • They also enjoy adding costumes and props to their creative movements.

7. Fingerplays and creative movement. • Fingerplays provide an endless supply of creative movement opportunities. • Keep fingerplays used for creative movement experience open-ended. By using open-ended divergent question, you invite children to get actively involved right from the beginning. • Encourage children to invent movements when learning a new fingerplay or ask them to suggest variations to revitalize a well- loved rhyme. • Always accept individual interpretations. • Movement activities benefit young children by developing their relaxation, freedom of expression, and increased awareness of their own bodies.