Naturally Educational » Bodily-kinesthetic
What Can Drama Do for Children?
While I am on a short maternity leave, I have invited a few of my favorite activity, craft, and education bloggers to share a guest post. As a former theater major, I am excited to welcome Susan Stephenson from The Book Chook to share why dramatic play can be so important for children. Specialist drama teachers sometimes offer drama lessons to children outside school hours. But how do you know if your child will benefit from … Read entire article »
Filed under: Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Guest Post, Performing Arts and Theater
Rain Stick
Not that we need more rain… Since we are studying rain and the water cycle in April, we made rain sticks. This is a nice way to incorporate some culture and music and movement into our studies. And it is also a simple and fun craft that is always a hit with the kids. Materials long cardboard (paper towel) tube rice soft, flexible plastic (like a sandwich bag or any leftover shrink wrap) construction paper markers, stickers, jewels, etc. for decoration Directions 1. Pour … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, History and Culture, Music, Musical, Spring, Summer, Visual-Spacial, Weather
D is for Dirt, R is for Rocks
Getting physical with your learning is a great way to reinforce academic lessons. The connection is especially strong with language and literacy. The experience reinforces the memory of the letters and words and creates a deep connection. We’ve also been exploring the universe of literacy in WordWorld–a television program on PBS that supports pre-reading skills. The characters on the show (“WordFriends”) are formed out of the words that are their names. They solve challenges by building … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Literacy, Touch
Shaving Cream Art (Tactile Fun!)
Studies have shown that students physically involved with learning score higher on subsequent exams–and we’re not just talking about the toddler, preschooler, kindergartner set. The effects are demonstrable even at the college and graduate level. Research into cognitive development strongly suggests that this sort of physical stimulation during learning builds a deeper understanding of academic skills. Children in need of speech therapy may especially benefit from speech activities using tactile sensations. Plus…it is just plain fun to … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), Art, Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Touch
Chocolate-Covered Pretzels
Valentine’s Day may be over but we’re still enjoying some of the treats we made. The biggest hit was these chocolate-covered pretzels my daughter made. They are so simple and the heat is so low to melt the chocolate that your preschooler or even toddler can do them with very little help. You can customize the sprinkles for other holidays, too. All you need is Baker’s Chocolate, Pretzels (twists or rods), and sprinkles. 1. Melt chocolate on … Read entire article »
Filed under: All Ages, Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Home Arts, Science, Smell, Taste, Winter
Pancakes from Scratch
At another Mommy & Me at Garden of Eve, Eve led us in picking wheat, threshing the wheat to separate the grain from the chaff, grinding the wheat (in a blender..though my kids have stone-ground grains at some local colonial-themed events), stirring in the eggs, sugar, baking powder, and milk, and frying up the pancakes. Unless you have a field of wheat growing in your backyard, you may need to take a few shortcuts–but making a … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), All Ages, Bodily-kinesthetic, Featured, Home Arts, Taste
Theater Games for Young Children
Kinesthetic learners will jump right in when given the opportunity to play theater games designed for young children. Even the simplest theater games for kids can build a child’s confidence and skills. Theater activities utilize two of children’s biggest assets, imagination and energy, to build on their ability to focus, creatively problem solve, and cooperate. Before today, I had worked with teenagers and children as young as eight, but since I have a 3 year-old, I decided … Read entire article »
Filed under: All Ages, Bodily-kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Musical, Performing Arts and Theater
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About the Author
Candace Lindemann is a published children’s writer and educational consultant. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Working with school districts around the country and some of the most well-known companies in the education industry, Candace creates custom strategies, textbooks, and lesson plans. Her articles have appeared in print and online.
While Candace’s degrees prepared her for a career in education, she’s found that the best preparation for parenting is on the job training.
Contact Candace via e-mail, read her full biography, or connect with her using the social media icons below or on Google.
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