Children need to move. Sacrament meeting was long, and the benches didn't fit. Sunday clothes feel weird. A little social anxiety has set in, now that Mom and Dad have left. There are good reasons for those wiggle songs.
But more importantly, moving is an important part of learning. We all learn differently, but it's generally true that the more ways we learn something, the better we remember it. (An obvious example: when you put music to the Articles of Faith, you remember them better.) When you incorporate motions into the songs the children are learning, not only do you ease their fidgets, but you help them learn more quickly.
Many songs lend themselves easily to specific motions, like "Whenever I hear the song of a bird. . ." (cupping your hand behind your ear, opening and shutting your fingers like a beak). Other songs, less "picturesque," can still have lots of movements added to them. You can invent actions ahead of time, or you can have the children help you devise some on the spot. If you let the children help you think of actions, learning becomes a group project, which is always more fun, and helps those oldest children (who are getting ready to burst out of primary) feel invested in the song. Another thing that's fun for older children: classes can join together to quickly invent motions for a specific phrase of the song, with you assigning different phrases to each group. Then notice how each class lights up when it's time to sing "their" part.
In my experience, children love learning sign language, even the youngest ones. And it seems cool, and wonderfully complicated! Even if you only incorporate a few signs (please forgive me, all you ASL folks, for slaughtering your language), children rise to the occasion and learn detailed signs to go with their singing.
Movement is not just for wiggle songs. Children will learn songs more quickly and more joyously if you introduce motions into the songs you teach them.
Please share some ideas of how you use movement in the songs you've been teaching!
I really like your idea of having the kids invent motions on the spot! I'l have to try it. I did sign language with the kids last week and the kids loved it. I agree, they need to move, especially the junior primary. Sometimes the Jr. primary can't even focus without moving. I also think that the senior primary likes to move as well, but don't underestimate how much they like to think. The senior primary likes to be intellectually challenged. They loved when I had them memorize the Latter-Day-Prophets song while erasing the prophets names on the board.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment 'they like to think'. Often we can assume too little of them when really what they need is more. Sometimes it seems like a song is going well but then I and/or the teachers drop out singing and the kids can really tell if they know it or not. It's surprising how many more will step up when the pressure is on them to carry the words without the adults. Back to movement, another huge advantage to actions is your ability to see quickly who is participating and who isn't. If a whole corner isn't flapping along with everyone else, they need some attention so with some warning they will be the row to come to the front next. :)
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