Movement-Creative Arts: Ages 3-5

Widely Held Expectations

• Child expresses strong emphasis, steady beats and changing dynamics in various musical tempos and styles through
  movement
• Responds to the beat of songs or instrumental music with more complex movements (walking or jumping to the beat, clapping, etc.)
• Child demonstrates a sense of balance and body coordination
• Demonstrates a wide variety of positions (stretching, bending, rocking, twisting, etc.)
• Child represents experiences through movement
• Demonstrates concepts (feelings, directions, words, ideas, etc.)

Learning in Action: Examples

The Child

• Uses movement to interpret or imitate feelings, animals, and such things as plants growing, or a rainstorm
• Shows creativity using his/her body (dance, march, hop, jump,sway, clap, snap, stomp, twist, turn, etc.)
• Uses props to create special movements and dances (scarves,streamers, instruments, etc.)

The Adult

• Provides opportunities for children to move their bodies to various rhythms and musical tempos
• Introduces games and activities that involve balance and body coordination
• Plans indoor and outdoor activities involving balancing, running, jumping and other vigorous movements, to increase children’s understanding of movement

The Environment Includes

• Materials, equipment and experiences that allow children to practice developing skills in movement and rhythm
• Materials that encourage movement (riding toys, balls, obstacle courses, climbing equipment, etc.)