LET’S MOVE!

Early Childhood Strategies to Increase Physical Activity using Children’s

Literature as a Springboard

by Barbara Trube, Ed.D.

LET’S MOVE

LET’S MOVE is a three- tiered approach toincreasing motor activity inearly childhoodclassrooms.

LET’S MOVE is a series ofstrategies integrating movement with languageand literacy learning inprekindergartenclassrooms.

LET’S MOVE uses

movement to increase

understanding of and

encourage use of rich

vocabulary, that is

introduced in extraordinary

themes and active

experience projects.

LET’S MOVE promotes motor skill acquisition – an

essential goal of any program that addresses the

needs of the whole child. As children acquire skills,

they develop awareness of:• space (where the body moves), • effort (how the body moves) and • relationships of body parts, objects and people.

LET’S MOVE promotes literature-based active learning experiences.

Quality children's literature can:

spark a range of motor responses

stimulate imagination

increase creativity (fluency, flexibility, elaboration, originality)

elicit playful interaction with story elements

LET’S MOVE addresses all domains of learning and

incorporates best practice during interactive

movement, or motor activity stations, and/or a

motor learning laboratory.

Daily physical activity is important!

Educators plan for daily physical activity because

movement is essential for children’s growth and

development in all domains:

• Cognitive• Social• Emotional• Physical

Domains work together to facilitate learning.

Planning for physical activity is purposeful and intentional!

“Development in one domain

influences and is influenced

by development in other

domains.” (NAEYC)

Brain research supports

linkages between cognitive,

social, emotional and

physical development.

The National Research Council (2001) reports inEager to Learn: Educating Our Preschoolers that“quality preschool programs address cognitive,social, emotional, and physical development, andbecause young children vary considerably in eachof these domains, teaching strategies need tobe adapted to meet the specific needs and priorknowledge and understanding of individuals andgroups of children.” (p. 224)

Follow Universal Design for Learning principles!Activities are planned with all children in mind.

Proactive early childhood programs meet the activity needs of all children.

• Motor skill development and children’s

attitudes toward motor learning are established in

the early years. • Exercise habits become established during

childhood.• Increasing physical activity opportunities each day

provides important health benefits for all children.

Three Tiers to implementation of LET’S MOVE

Three Tiers – Based on themes in children’s literature are:

Tier I: Interactive Movement

Tier II: Motor Activity Station(s)

Tier III: Motor Learning Laboratory / Obstacle Course

Interactive Movement (IM)

IM takes place during a read

aloud, shared reading, chant or

fingerplay. Children react to

story elements (plot, setting,

character, theme) using physical

activity.

Elements of movement (time,

force, flow, space, body) are

explored as children respond to

a selection or selections of

children’s literature.

Interactive Movement with Reading and Chanting

Motor Activity Station (MAS)

A MAS is an area of the indoor

or outdoor classroom where

movements are performed.

MASs give children non

locomotor, locomotor and

perceptual motor experiences

that use fine, gross and

manipulative movement

opportunities.

MASs promote Vocabulary Development

Basing motor development(fine, gross, perceptual)activities on themes inchildren's literature helpsteachers extend children'smovement-relatedvocabularies: • children talk about

movement concepts• children experience

elements of movement

MAS promote Vocabulary

Information is presented

and reinforced in the

context of children’s daily

experiences through

strategies:

• non-verbal• verbal• kinesthetic • visual

Movement experiences facilitate learning in all domains.

Systematic physical activity assures motor learning and development.

Planning systematic physical activity assures timefor fundamental movement skill developmentthrough : • Engagement • Practice• Refinement • Integration• Automaticity• Coordination• Other

Motor Learning Laboratory (MLL)

A MLL incorporates mini lab-like areas or stations

in the classroom’s indoor and/or outdoor physical

environments where movement activities are

based on themes supported by children’s literature.

A MLL includes safeand developmentallyappropriate areas forexploring, practicingand refining gross, fineand manipulative motoractivities to enhancecoordination, balance,visual spatialintegration, endurance,flexibility, agility, andstrength.

Highland Survival Island Adventure

MLLs incorporate

information from a song,

poem, story/several

stories that may be fiction

or non-fiction. These

selections inspire and

prompt movement base

on themes, plots,

characters and settings.

Survival Test: Crossing the Snake Pit

Implications for incorporating daily physical activity through LET’S MOVE

• Young children learn best by doing;• Movement programs are success oriented;• Successful completion of motor tasks promote

feelings of competence;• Motor exploration (process) is more important

than performance (product);• Integrated content areas have greater relevance

than an isolated content area.

A set of prekindergarten standards areAvailable from the National Association forSport and Physical Education (NASPE)

NASPE Motor Skills/Standard 1

All students will demonstrate the

use of fundamental skills and

motor patterns.

Fundamental Movement Skills:

Movement patterns that involve

different body parts:• legs• arms• trunk• head

Fundamental Motor Skills

• Running• Hopping• Catching• Throwing• Striking• Balancing• Other

Fundamental Motor Skills are…

Foundational movements and precursor patterns leading to more specialized and complex skills used in:

• games• sports• dance• gymnastics• outdoor education • physical recreation

NASPE Learning Concepts/Standard 2

All students will begin to

understand and develop

a vocabulary of basic

concepts associated

with movement, and

use them to guide their

performance.

NASPE Active Lifestyle/Standard 3

All students will participate in at least one activity they enjoy that is associated with each component of fitness.

NASPE Physically Fit Standard 4

All students will have fun participating in health-enhancing activities which promote physical fitness.

NASPE Personal & Social Skills Standard 5

All students will

demonstrate

responsible

personal and social

behaviors in

physical activity

settings.

NASPE Diversity Standard 6

All students will demonstrate cooperation, sharing and consideration of others, in a physical activity setting, regardless of differences among them.

Values Physical Activity Standard 7

All students will begin to show enjoyment and self expression through interactions with others during a variety of physical activities.

Credits

Huntington Elementary Summer Kindergarten Jump Start (Mona Kellar, Caridi Detty)

Ohio University – Chillicothe Teacher Candidates (Julia Bateman, Carlene Behana, Renee Borland, Heather Clark, Rachel Finley, Sharon McComas, Emily Park, Trina Reynolds, Heather Tarlton, Tara Williams)

Pickaway County Head Start (Ms Kim, Donna Solvey) Ross County CAO Head Start Ross County Joint

Vocational School Preschool Program (Connie Page, Sally Simmons)

Scioto County Head Start & ELI Programs for Highland Survival Island Adventure (Sarah Sloan & Teachers)

Unioto Elementary Summer Kindergarten Jump Start (Linda Collins, Linda Miller)

YMCA Washington Courthouse (Melissa Smith)