“Play is the highest form of research.” – Albert Einstein

From: http://www.childswork.com/blog/2012/09/favorite-play-therapy-quotes/

Get up and move! Why movement is part of early

literacy skills development

A part play, part scholarly presentation

Allison G. Kaplan, Ed.D.,agkaplan@wisc.edu

School of Library and Information StudiesUniversity of Wisconsin – Madison

April 9, 2014

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Poll

What concerns you about incorporating movement into your programming?A. Disrupting the flow of the programB. Losing control of the childrenC. I can’t (don’t care to) singD. Being able to describe to caregivers why

movement is important (early literacy tip)E. All of the aboveF. Other

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Activity

Get up and move song (to the tune of Are You Sleeping?)Walking walking; walking walkingHop hop hop; hop hop hopRunning running running; running running runningNow we stop; now we stop!

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Results

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Simsbury (CT) Public Library: http://simsburylibrarychildrensroom.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html

A little background

“Engage the child in play to develop his ability to learn”

(Froebel, 1831)

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Friedrich Froebel, 1782-1852

Playing with blocks

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Used with permission: The toddler is 2 years and one month old and the preschooler is three years and seven months old.

Link to video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f3rOz0NzPc

A little background

“Decades of research have shown that play is an important mediator in the physical, social, cognitive, and language development of young children” – From Playpen to Playground. Jeffrey Trawick-Smith, 2010.http://www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/activityresources/upload/BenefitsOfPlay_LitReview.

pdf

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Playing with a ball

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6arYAasPFE

Professional Associations say…Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)

Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR) five practices: Talking, Singing, Reading, Writing, Playing

Read, Build, Play! (with Lego/Duplo)American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD)

Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play (HSBS): Bouncing. Jumping. Sliding. Crawling. Running. Laughing. Learning.

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Professional Associations say…

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): provides resource page for families including articles on reasons to go to a library, why play and learning go together, how music helps with learning, and even a list of books that encourage movement.See: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development

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Ok, but how?Recognize what you are already doing:

Songs, rhymes, fingerplay. Incorporate movement as transitioning element.Find books that encourage movement/imagination.Develop special “moving” programming.Explain to parents why you are leaving them with a pile of toys at the end of storytime.

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Link to video:http://www.youtube.com/user/Birth2Six/featured

This is the way the bunny hops, the bunny hops, the bunny hops,This is the way the bunny hops on a spring time morning.

This is the way the blue bird flies…

This is the way the little duck swims…

This is the way the children play, …

Spoken or to the tune of This is the way we go to school.

Encourage Play through Tips“Providing children the opportunity to explore their

environment and talking about it reinforces their learning experiences.”

“Hopping, throwing, and other large body movements help to develop strength in the larger muscles needed to help control smaller muscle groups.”

“Fingerplay games help children develop the fine motor coordination needed for holding a pencil, crayon, or even pushing keyboard buttons.”

“When a child turns something, like a block, into something else, like a phone, she is learning to manipulate her environment by using her imagination and developing skills in critical thinking.”

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Remember: Empower Caregivers

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Video not available for free, must purchase materials from ALSC on Every Child Ready to Read. In webinar, this video was a mother singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider in Spanish to a baby.

Things to consider

Space for controlled chaos Noise: recorded music, instruments, singing Age appropriate movementAllowing for those who’d rather not get upFinding ways to make caregivers feel comfortable both in the program and in encouraging movement at homeCan’t sing? Hate to dance?

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Action playYou do the:

Tall SmallCurl TwirlSlow Tiptoe Sway StayJump SlumpSlide HideSleep CreepHop Stop

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• Repeating helps to make the actions concrete.

• Calling out actions provides practice in following directions.

• Rhyming pairs help develop language skills.

• Gross motor skills needed for learning how to write are developed.Courtesy of Eager Public Library, Evansville, WI

Poll

Have you tried yoga in your programming?A. Yup, worked great!B. Yup, but only connected to a book or themeC. Not yetD. NoE. Hadn’t actually thought about it

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Yoga

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVftTfWxsoY

Results

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Yoga as Programming Trend

Working with kids with autism Non-competitiveProvides coping skillsEncourages body awareness, balance, strengthConcrete concepts through abstract movement

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Recap

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“The activities that are the easiest, cheapest, and most fun to do – such as singing, playing games, reading, storytelling, and just talking and listening – are also the best for child development.” – Jerome Singer ( Yale University)

http://www.childswork.com/blog/2012/09/favorite-play-therapy-quotes/

Thank you!

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Questions? Comments?

Resources

Association of Library Service for Children: Every Child Ready to Read:

http://www.everychildreadytoread.orgRead, Build, Play!: http://readbuildplay.comYoga Storytime:

http://www.ala.org/alsc/alscconnectonline/bright-ideas-december-2012-yoga-storytimeAmerican Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD): http://www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/

ResourcesDiamant-Cohen, Betsy. Transforming Preschool Storytime: A Modern Vision and a Year of Programs. Melanie A. Hetrick; illustrations by Celia Yitzhak. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2013.Froebel Kindergarten Gifts: http://froebelgifts.comGhoting, Saroj Nadkarni. Storytimes for Everyone!: Developing Young Children’s Language and Literacy. With Pamela Martin-Diaz. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2013.National Association for the Education of Young Children (page of resources for families): http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development

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ResourcesSinger, Jerome. (child development quote): http://www.childswork.com/blog/2012/09/favorite-play-therapy-quotes/Trawick-Smith, Jeffrey. From Playpen to Playground: the Importance of Physical Play for the Motor Development of Young Children. Center for Early Childhood Education, Eastern Connecticut State University, 2010.Washington County (Oregon) Cooperative Library Services (WCCLS) fingerplay clip: http://www.youtube.com/user/Birth2Six/featured

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Books CitedBrunhoff, Laurent de. Babar’s Yoga for Elephants. NY: Harry N. Abrams, 2002.Carle, Eric. From Head to Toe. NY: HarperCollins, 1997.Cronin, Doreen. Wiggle. NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2005.Feiffer, Jules. Bark George! NY: HarperCollins, 1999.Krauss, Ruth. I Can Fly: A Make-Believe Play Book. Pictures by Mary Blair. NY: Golden Press, 1958.Portis, Antoinette. Not a box. NY: HarperCollins, 2006.Raschka, Chris. John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002.Whitford, Rebecca. Little Yoga: A Toddler’s First Book of Yoga. And Martina Selway. NY: Henry Holt, 2005.Yoo, Taeeun. You Are a Lion: And Other Fun Yoga Poses. NY: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2012.

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