Chapter 6 The Moving Child
Children’s Movement Development
LESS THAN SIX MONTHS
responds to music through generalized body movement
movement not yet synchronized to rhythm
TWO YEARS
responds by rocking, bouncing, waving arms to rhythm
develops walking and running skills
attempts to imitate clapping and patty-cake movements
THREE TO FOUR
practices know movements by repeating them
invents and imitates new movements
begins to develop large muscle coordination for jumping & hopping
can perform simple action songs and game songs
FIVE TO SIX
begins to develop rhythmic clapping & patting
begins to develop skills for galloping & jumping rope
can perform simple folk dances in circles and lines
begins to develop small muscle coordination for drawing & writing
SIX TO SEVEN
begins to develop skipping skills
responds frequently to music through hand clapping
can follow the pulse and dynamics of music and respond to gradual changes through movement
can perform beat on drum, rhythm sticks
can play sustained bourdons on xylophone, with assistance
EIGHT TO NINE
can maintain a steady beat while tapping, patting or clapping
can accurately reproduce rhythms by chanting, tapping, patting, clapping, or stepping
can perform ostinatos on xylophones
develops small muscle coordination for playing recorder/keyboard
can respond quickly and accurately to musical changes in temp, rhythmic patterns, & texture
can perform more complex folk dances in circles, lines, squares & patterns
can conduct meters with rhythmic accuracy
TEN TO TWELVE
girls begin to show early signs of physical maturation
develops small muscle coordination and dual coordination of breathing and fingers for performing wind & brass instruments
enjoys active physical involvement, may prefer sports to dance
can perform rhythmic canons by moving to music that is previously sounded while listening to other music
can respond to two distinctive features of music through simultaneous movement (stepping the rhythm while conducting the pulse)
Movement & Child Development
ACTION SONGS & SINGING GAMES
Incorporating movement in to songs releases physical energy
Makes the song more concrete when it is in a physical context
EURHYTHMICS
“Do what the music tells you to do”
Stepping the pulse, conducting the meter, tapping the melody’s repeated rhythmic pattern, drawing melodic contour
Body becomes a personal instrument for realizing music
CREATIVE MOVEMENT
Guided to develop their own repertoire of movements to express:
loud and soft
slow or fast
high or low
choppy or smooth
Can explore and single movement
DANCE
Structured movement to music
Folk dances
Develops sense of rhythm and time






