Music and Movement

1. What are some of the benefits of using outdoor space in early childhood? Using outdoor space in early childhood provide children with health, cognitive, and social benefits. Health benefits: It gives children the opportunity to exercise their large muscles group much more than when they are indoors, because they have more space to run, skip, climb, swing, and jump. Playing outside also allow children to burn more calories than when they are inside. Cognitive benefits: When children play outside they often will make up their own games, by doing this they are exercising their problem solving skills. When children make the rules for the games and practice using them with friends, they are developing organizational abilities, and leadership qualities. Their creativity is enhanced and their imaginations are nourished. Social benefits: being outside promotes cooperative play which leads to the development of social skills. When children wait to take turns while playing a game, or when they work together with others to build something, these are ways children can enhance their social abilities outdoors. 2. Describe the role of the teacher in supporting outdoor space, including children with special needs. The teacher can be supportive by interacting with the children when they are outside, the teacher can do this by talking with the children about what and how they are going to play. The teacher can assist the children in different activities, for example: hopping, skipping, and climbing, and the teacher can also make sure that the children are safe while playing outdoors. The teacher must also plan activities that encourage children with special needs to participate while outdoors, but he/she should not use the same activities when they are outdoors with the special needs children. Creating different activities will provide the children with special needs the opportunity to use their bodies in new ways.

References: www.ehow.com Experiences in Movement; birth to age 8, written by Rae Pica