Babies - Learning Through Movement

Parenting Tip: Dance with baby, and label your movements

 

Why?

Focusing on both a movement (like hopping) and a verbal description (like 'hop, hop') can stimulate brain development.  When we label movement - either when moving with a child in our arms, or the movement we see an older baby doing on her own – this helps to develop the language of movement in addition to engaging the vestibular system.  Moving in a variety of ways gives baby a chance to 'see the world' from many perspectives, thus strengthening neural pathways.  This variety of views also allows for development of the eyes, understanding space and accommodation of muscles in the body to movement and balance.

 

How?

Play a favorite track from Kindermusik's Big Back Yard CD, and dance with baby!  Be sure to label your movement (walk, walk, or twirl, twirl, etc).  Once you've moved in different ways, add some musical articulations by labeling & moving in bumpy or smooth ways – or maybe using small movements during quiet parts (label 'quiet'), and big movements during loud parts (label 'loud')

Take a video field trip to see butterflies, and move the way the butterfly moves!

For more movement ideas, look at these classic backyard games – toddler-style!

 

Want to Learn More?

On our blog:  Read Why We Rock, Bounce, Jump & Dance! 

 

Kindermusik 7-year Continuum:

Now, baby counts on YOU to move her in ways that she is not yet able to.  In toddler Kindermusik classes, he will begin to move to the music on his own, with you as a model, as we add general terminology to the movements (like 'smooth' and 'bumpy').  As a Kindermusik preschooler, your child will decide which movements to use, based on an imaginary story or a musical articulation – and he will begin to learn specific MUSICAL terminology (like 'piano' and 'forte').  Kindermusik big kids in Young Child classes use their movement experiences to internalize the beat, and to build musical expression as they play instruments and sing together.