The Moving Child

Presented by Nur Ireka and Kenneth Chia

In the world of children, music and movement

are nearly inseparable from one another

The Early Childhood Teachers

Role in the Moving Music Class

Using existing spontaneous and natural moments of children,

you have to give them an understanding of:

Rhythm

Melody

Phrasing

Texture

Dynamics

Form

Tools you can use:

Movement with Body sounds (i.e. clapping,

snapping, stepping, patting)

Games that have songs associated with them.

Preparatory movements that can be later used

to their music instruments

Dance and other creative movements

Benefits of Music and

Movement for Children

Movement helps internalise music concepts.

Children love to move - it releases their energy.

Movement helps children release excess energy.

Music enhances enjoyable motions they already like

to do: running, hopping, skipping, jumping, etc.

Movement can be used as a change of pace

from previous stationary activity.

Children develop their music abilities using their

eyes, ears and body.

Movement with music can be used as a reward

for good behaviour or achievement.

By applying movement and music to their play, we

can enhance their playtime and make it productive
towards their musicianship.

The various folks dances and songs used can

expose the children to new cultures.

Gross motor movements have to be developed

first before the fine motor movements necessary
for music instruments can be developed.

In the beginning, children mimic rhythms most

accurately while chanting, somewhat accurately
while clapping, and least accurately while
stepping.

Developing these movements and physical

sense of rhythm is vital to learning to read and
perform music.

Movement and Early

Childhood Development

Age 6 months - infants can sense sound/music and move

in a very general manner in response.

Age 2 years - movements becomes more attuned towards

music, although there is a lot of variety. (Swaying back
and forth, arm waving conducting the music)

Age 3-4 years - Listening skills increase, and movements

become even more specific towards the music. Kids are
able to practice these movements now.

Age 4-6 years - Coordination is improved, and a real

sense of pulse is stabilized.

Guidelines for Preparation

In early primary school, percussion instruments

are the easiest for young children to handle.

Unless they have specialised training methods

used, children generally cannot handle keyboard,
stringed, woodwind or brass instruments as well
until age 8 or 9, due to the muscle development.

If the child is exposed early enough to the

specialised training methods, the child will be
able to develop the muscles and coordination
necessary for earlier proficiency in the more
advanced instruments.

Make sure you have adequate room for movement.

If you have restricted room, you can still improvise

stationary movement (i.e. sitting while clapping
and singing)

Make sure you set rules and boundaries to keep

the classroom behaviour in check.

Have prepared live or recorded music with

sufficient variety.

f
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LIVING Ctllt-l)

192
Table

8.2

and N{over-nent Cenres

A Repertoke of irtusical Concepts

lvlusical ConcePts
RhYthm
Pulse (beat)

(co

nt' )

Pu11

'

Patterns

Rise
CollaPse

Locornotor (aiross sPace)

Walk
Run

Pitch: hrghflow
Contour

N1usical sound and "not-musical"

Hop
GalloP

groLtPs

Form

RePetition
Vanation
Contrast
Texture
One iine
N{ultiPle iines: simultaneous
MuitiPle lines: indePendent
ExPressive quaiities
TemPo: fast/slow
TemPo: changing
DYnumics: ioud/so[t
DYnamics: changing
Movement Genres
Nonlocomotor (in Place)
Stretch
Bend
Swing
Trvist
Bounce

Slido
l-eaP

Strut

Movemcni variations
ShaPe (round,

anguiai' bc*1il'

E.rpLoratory Task.;

awareness

Body

Bodytelationship

Time

(speed)

Duration (long' short)

Accent (force)
TemPo (fast, siow)

EnergY

Attack (sharP, smooth)

Weight (light, heavY)
Flow (bound' free)

Suength (tight' 1oose)

as

Foliow teacher acruss tire floor in e;ractly 'u\e same way

{but afier teacher has completed movement).

Pulse (beat)

Time

Walk your own path without touching anyone. Walk

around every (chair, block. hoop) placed on the t'ioor.
r ou pass them.

(levels)
E,nergv (rve ight)
Ene rgy (ilow)
Nonlocomotor
movement

Level (high, middle' low)

Place (in PIace' through sPace)
Direction (forward' backrvard'
sidewaYs' turning)
PathwaY (straight' curving)

Find different ways of moving vour fingers, hands, arms. elborvs, shoulders. fleet. legs, head, and hips.

Toucl-i trvo fingers to the two flngers of your neighbors

Space

Size (large' small)

Goal

designs)

.Table 8.3 Exploratorv lVlovement Wirh and Wirhout Music

Lunge

SPace

.IHE T{OVINf]
CHiI-L]

r9+

SkiP

sound
Voices (tYPe.1
Instruments (tYPe)
Alone

JumP
P

Timbre

F
T

SwaY

MeiodY

ln

r,'

Shalie
Push

Duratiou
Accent
, Meter

RePeat/ste P/ski

ov'emertl Our

(direction)

Move a body part: fast. thster, slow, slower, gradually

faster or slower,

Walk forward. backward. sideways, toward the door, rorvard the windorvs.

Space

*ir:Tr::

Walk high, low'. medium: alternately high and low.

Nlake yourself heavv. licht. strong, limp.
W

aik withour str-rppinu. Stop suridenly, or grariualiy.

Drarv (with your hands. elborvs, head, ieet) a straight Iine, a

curved line. a zigzag. a loop. Shape your body into a box. a
triangle. a "T.'' a "V." Nlove from one shape to the next
within four beats. or seven beats.

walk,

ieap, lunge. run,

jurnp, hop. gatlop. skip. strut, sride.

I
I
I

movement eKperience-s is the deveiopment of children's musical understa.nding. skills, and values.

Action Songs
and Singing
Games

Develops coordination
Develops synchronised
rhythmic movements
Develops singing voice
Actions songs have
rhythmic gestures often
working together with the
lyrics

Dalcroze
Eurhythmics
A complete system of
rhythmic training developed
by Swiss musician EmileJacques Dalcroze (b. July 6,
1865 d. July 1, 1950) in
the 20th Century.

Dalcroze Eurhytmics

Becoming a Dalcroze teacher requires rigorous

training and certification.

Movement as the foundation of thorough

musicianship

Keyboard improvisation skills are needed to run

the classes.

Links the ear, the brain, and the body

An alternative to dance and gymnastics

Students develop musical awareness at a

physical level

Eurhythmics style movements can still be

integrated in an early childhood music program
using simplified accompaniments or prerecorded music instead of the keyboard
improvisation. While not pure eurythmics, this
creative movement still has great benefits.

The movements correspond to various elements

in music, such a pulse, rhythm, phrasing,
dynamics.

Students may be instructed on the movements

to respond to the music played

Students may also be asked to improvise

movements of their own.

Dalcroze Example 1
Stopping and Starting

Dalcroze Example 2

Dalcroze Example 3

Skipping game

A typical Dalcroze Eurythmics intro class

Thanks for listening!