7 Creative Movement Activities For School Children
Traditional styles of learning often have children sitting at desks, listening to their instructor give a lesson. There’s very little to no movement involved in many aspects of schooling — but while it can be hard to learn some subjects by moving your body, not all are confined to sitting in a classroom! In fact, many movement activities for kids can help sharpen their developmental skills and learn more about the subject at hand. But what is creative movement activity, exactly? Read on to learn more.
What are movement activities for kids?
Movement activities are games, actions, or activities a child can do that engage large muscle groups. They’re also referred to as gross motor activities because when a lot of muscles are being used in movement, gross motor coordination can improve.
Children love being on the go, and if given the chance, they rarely stop moving! Recess and free play time is essential and can help give kids the freedom they need to engage in their own movement activities by default. However, you can also implement activities and games in the classroom to encourage more movement while learning.
Why are movement activities for kids so important?
Regular exercise and movement is vital for growing children. It aids in the overall development of both their physical and mental health. From birth, they explore the world around them through conscious movement, which continues throughout childhood and early development.
There are many benefits associated with regular movement activities for children.
- Physical development: Movement helps children reach important physical milestones.
- Fine motor skills: Fine motor skills, such as writing, can benefit from regular movement because before a child can master fine motor skills, they must first get acquainted with gross motor coordination.
- Concentration: Concentration is vital for development, learning, memory, and more. Being able to fully immerse oneself in an activity or work involves a good level of concentration, and movement activities sharpen these skills.
- Increased brain development: When a child is active, they send oxygen to their brain. The more oxygen in the brain, the better off they are when it comes to brain function and activity.
- Overall health (now and into the future): Children who exercise regularly are more likely to keep the habit well into adulthood. Since regular exercise is vital for overall health as an adult, starting kids early can help establish strong exercise habits they can take with them for life.
Introducing regular movement activities for your children or students can help them sharpen their developmental skills and establish healthy habits.
What are examples of creative movement?
There are many examples of movement activities to choose from when looking for ways to incorporate creative movement in the classroom. Here are a few ideas!
Scavenger hunts
Creating and executing a good scavenger hunt is one of the best ways to incorporate indoor movement activities for preschoolers and children of all ages. This activity will give kids the chance to use their critical thinking skills and movement to succeed, all while having a lot of fun.
Stair races
Stair races are more straightforward to set up when it comes to creative movement activities for elementary students. The energy it takes to climb up and down the stairs is one thing — combine that with a healthy dose of competition, and your students will be grateful for the opportunity to move their bodies! At the same time, they’ll learn the importance of fairness, friendly competition, and motivation to succeed.
Hopscotch
Hopscotch is an oldie but a goodie. It’s simple enough to do anywhere you have a flat surface. If you have to stay inside, you can make hopscotch squares out of tape, but outside, chalk is always a great choice because it’s easy to wash off. Whatever method you choose, hopscotch is a great activity that helps with balance, early math skills, and eye-foot coordination.
Charades
Playing charades is a fun way to incorporate movement activities for kids while teaching a more complex subject. For example, you can have children pick a specific historical character and act it out for the rest of the class.
Obstacle courses
While this activity might be more time-consuming, it does offer a wider range of movement than others on the list. You can use whatever you have on hand to create obstacles that children will have to jump over, climb through, maneuver around, or avoid altogether. Obstacles courses will increase kids’ heart rates and give them ample opportunity to move their bodies in different ways, sharpening their gross motor skills.
The tape-shape game
If you’re looking for good movement activities for kindergarten classes, look no further than the tape-shape game. Take any kind of tape you like (besides clear, of course!) and form it into shapes on the floor of the classroom or the ground outside. Kids can use different types of movement, such as crab walks or crawling, to move forward to and identify specific shapes. This helps them with learning and exercise all in one.
Dancing
Last but certainly not least is dancing. A dance session is a great way to get the entire class moving as one. Put on some kid-friendly music and give students a 10- or 20-minute window to dance in their own way. While this may be closer to free play, it does also give children important lessons in creativity and movement.
Movement is vital for all aspects of health, especially regarding a child’s developing brain. And since there are so many options to choose from, there’s a movement activity for everyone!
For more tips and advice on keeping kids healthy both inside and out of the classroom, head to Teachers1on1.
