Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence in the Early Childhood Classroom

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An early childhood curriculum that truly understands and respects bodily/kinesthetic intelligence follows four guiding principles for integrating the intelligence into the classroom.

1. Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence deserves the same curricular attention that other intelligences receive (Gardner, 1993).
2. The curriculum must address the various modalities that bodily/kinesthetic intelligence presents.
3. Research about the brain confirms the importance and significance of bodily/kinesthetic development (Jensen, 2001).
4. Bodily/kinesthetic intelligence develops in stages.

Curricular Attention

Traditionally, schools have addressed bodily intelligence through recess, physical education, and participation in sports programs (Gardner, 1993). The Council on Physical Education for Children (COPEC) strongly supports daily physical education and recess. Unfortunately daily participation in these activities is quite limited in contemporary American school life and many schools are not following the COPEC guidelines. In some programs, recess has been eliminated to provide more instructional time. Physical education might only occur once a week. In addition, organized sports have become very stressful and demanding for children. In many programs there is little time, if any, provided for creative use of the body, for children to create games or projects, or engage in movement without the intervention or direction of an adult. While schools have addressed the purely physical aspects of movement, the bodily realm also includes emotional expression, role-play, games, and bodily expression of thoughts, ideas, and information.

Preschool programs have traditionally shown a little more respect for bodily intelligence. Many preschool teachers realize there is a need for children to move and they provide for this need. However, there are many half-day programs that do not provide for physical experiences. These programs claim to focus on the academic life of the preschooler and claim to prepare him for school life. Many times though, physical movement in early childhood programs is provided for children in order to prevent restlessness, to give teachers a break, and for children to blow off steam (Gallahue, 1999).

There are programs that justify their choice to withdraw recess and limit physical education because of curricular constraints. Some programs choose to focus on academics and provide more time for such experiences as reading and math. That leads to a debatable issue: Is it even necessary to address recess and physical education in school? The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion states that physical education reduces the chance of dying from heart disease, decreases colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. It maintains healthy development of muscles, bones, and joints. Physical education reduces anxiety and relieves some symptoms of depression. Physical exercise is helpful in maintaining a healthy weight. Movement also has been shown to be an effective treatment in ADHD (Hannaford, 1995). These reasons support physical movement.

Early childhood and elementary programs that address physical movement and development generally approach bodily intelligence through recess, outdoor play, and physical education.

Recess/Outdoor Play Schools have traditionally provided recess after lunch, consisting of approximately twenty to thirty minutes of supervised free play outdoors. Children usually engage in motor tasks, movement games, or pick-up sports. Adults supervise but usually do not interfere in children’s play during recess. Preschool programs typically provided outdoor play, which is similar to recess. Preschool children engage in motor tasks and movement games during this time. Adults supervise and facilitate, but generally try not to interfere.