CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL MOVEMENT AND

PURPOSEFUL PLAY

Kristi Mally, PhD

Summer 2012

Welcome … I’m so Glad you Came!

I’m so glad you came,I almost couldn’t wait.

Can you _________as we count to eight?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8!

SMILE,

LAUGH

, ENJOY

Hello Neighbor, what do you say?It’s gonna be a wonderful day

So clap your hands and boogie on downGive us a bump and turn around

5 in 10 – Physical Activity Fun

Why am I here?

Share my Passion – encourage you to share yours with every child, every day

Share my Knowledge about young children & movement … encourage you to infuse movement into every day for every child

Share Resources – encourage you to use what is available

Agenda

WhoWhyWhatHowWhen, Where, with WhatConclusions and Resources

WHO

Children ≠ Miniature Adults

Developmental Continuum

Reflexive, Spontaneous = infants

Rudimentary = infants, toddlers

Fundamental Movement Skill phase = toddlers, preschool, school aged

Specialized Movement Skill Phase = typically begins around 7-10 years of age

Motor Development is …

1. Continuous & Cumulative

2. Age-related

3. Sequential, yet individual

4. Susceptible to stimulation

5. Plastic

6. Holistic & Integrated

Continuous and Cumulative

Continuity versus Discontinuity

Age-Related NOT Age-Determined

Maturation versus Development

Sequential but Individual

Pattern of development is fairly predictable = Sigmoid Curve

Rate of development is individual

Positive Stimulation

Movement experiences = chief architect of the brain

Early experiences completely change an individual’s path

Think about it!

What physical activity-related experiences have you had, that if you had not had, would have caused you to be a very different mover than you are today?

Plasticity

Window of OpportunityReadiness

Holistic and Integrated

Individual Task

Structural Functional

Environment

Physical Socio/cultural

Newell’s Triangle – Everything Matters

Individual Structural Weight, height, body proportion, hand/foot size, visual and kinesthetic development

Functional Disposition, mood, experiences, knowledge, attitude

Task Equipment, organization, rules, goal of the task

Environment

Physical Weather, terrain, lighting

Socio-Cultural

Others in the environment and their expectations on the child – parents, teachers, peers, culture

Young Children ….

Psychomotor Cognitive AffectiveTop to bottom

Inside to outside

Gross to fine

Tire easily – but recovery quickly

Visual and kinesthetic perception

Short attention span

Limited cognitive & attention capacity

Literal

Slow reaction time – information processing time

Creative and curious

Concrete

Egocentric

Desire to please others

Desire attention from adults

Can be emotionally reckless

WHY

Story of the Sea Squirt

Mind

Body

Physical – Health Benefits

Gross motor and fine motor development Coordination and control of body Strength and stability development Healthy weight maintenance Brain development Integration of senses Decreases chances of developing adult diseases

Type 2 diabetes High blood pressure Coronary artery disease High cholesterol

Value of Movement …

Social and Emotional Benefits ~ Emotional Locomotion

Creative, expressive Benefits ~ Jumpin’ Jack Freeze, Yes Game

Language & Literacy Benefits ~ What’s on my Feet? , The Great Alphabet Hunt

Logical Reasoning Benefits ~ Movement Solvers

Mathematical Benefits ~ Hey Everybody let’s make a shape

Science Benefits ~ Indoor nature trail Social Studies Benefits ~ Home Dance

Physical Activity Guidelines

Infants – daily, active exploration Toddlers – 60-90 min/day Preschools – 90-120 min/day School Age – 60 min/day

Indoor & outdoor Structured & unstructured

WHAT

Movement Foundation

Locomotor – Traveling Skills

WalkRun JumpHop

GallopSlideSkipLeap

Recycling LocomotionNo Vacancy – Fill this Space

From Here to ThereHow did you get there?

Around and Around

Non-Locomotor – Balance Skills

ReachBendSwingSwayPushPull

WiggleTwistCurl

Freeze Body Part Touch and GoMagical Zoo

Secret Movement Bag

Object Control – Manipulative Skills

Throw Toss

CatchKick

StrikeVolley

Dribble

The Great ExchangeT-Shirt Fun

Throw (or kick) and GoRoly Poly – Find Me

Movement Concepts

Space Awareness ~ Where my body moves

Effort Awareness ~ How my body moves Relational Awareness ~ With myself,

others or objects

Clean up the FieldOver Under Around and Through

Shape Shifting - Transformers

HOW…being a successful facilitator

of purposeful play

Movement Experiences for Young Children

Playful

Positive

Success Oriented

Individually-Based

Inviting & Relevant

Flexible & Adaptable

Facilitated & Reinforced

Integrated

Purposeful &

Meaningful

Facilitation Roles

Plan Observe Model Extend Respond Sportscast Integrate Include Support

WHEN Young children are intermittent,

inefficient movers who prefer short intervals of physical activity dispersed throughout the entire day

GOAL – explicitly plan and allocate intervals

throughout the day for movement

WHERE Movement can occur anywhere and

much of what young children need is related to developing strength, stability and balance which does not require much space at all.

GOAL – view your space in terms of its movement potential

WITH WHAT First and foremost all we need to

participate in movement is our own bodies, but almost anything can be used as a movement tool.

GOAL – view all objects as potential tools for

movement

What could you do with this?

Wrap Up

Share one thing you heard or did today that will impact what you do the next time you work with children

Share a commitment you have after participating in today that will impact both your children/students and yourself

Who-Why-What-How-When-Where-With What?

Take Home Message

Meaningful movement and purposeful play have the potential to impact the whole child for a lifetime – YOUR job is to set

the stage for these future healthy, active behaviors and choices!

Resources

Active Early

www.aahperd.org Appropriate Practices in Movement

Programs for Children Ages 3-5 Active Start

Resources

http://www.headstartbodystart.org/ Monthly activity calendar

Healthy Homes Messages

Infant & Toddler Movement Experiences

Family Night Kits

Kristi Mally, PhDUniversity Wisconsin-La Crossekmally@uwlax.edu608-785-6527

Thank you ~

We don’t stop playing because we grow old,

we grow old because we stop playing