Skip to main content

Effective Practice Guides

Print

Gross Motor: See

Infants and Toddlers

Gross Motor: Video 1

Download the video [MP4, 9MB] Download the transcript
View the transcript

Niño: [Balbuceo] Sentar aquí.
Maestra 1: ¿Te quieres meter ahí adentro?
Niño: [Balbuceo] Sentar aquí.
Maestra 1: A ver, métete. A ver. A ver si puedes. OK. Oh, tú -- ay, mira. Sí pudo meterse. ¡Oh, oh! Oh, te
metiste a la caja. OK.
Maestra 2: Para arriba.
Maestra 1: ¿Te vas a salir otra vez? A ver si puedes. A ver, salte tú solito. A ver, yo te meto el pie aquí
adentro. OK. Ahí.
Maestra 2: ¡Eso! Para arriba. ¡Oh!
Maestra 1: Ahí vas. Agita. ¿Quieres estar ahí? ¿Sí?
¿Qué quieres dibujar? ¿No quieres dibujar? Ayer dibujaste a tu mami, mira. Ahí tengo -- ahí está tu
mami. ¿Te acuerdas del dibujo que me dibujaste? ¿Te acuerdas? Aquel que está allá, mira. A quién -- Me
dijiste que era tu mami. El dibujo aquel, me dijiste que era tu mami. ¿No quieres hacer a tu mami otra
vez? OK.
Niño: [Balbuceo]

Close

Observation

  • Describe the physical setting for this video segment (e.g., how space is arranged, toys and materials available). Where are the teacher and boy situated? What appears to be the child's goal? How does the teacher help the child practice using his large muscles? What does the child do to support himself in getting out of the box?

Application

  • Which teaching practices does the teacher use to help the boy understand how his body relates to the environment? Check the "Know" and "Do" sections for ideas.
  • How does the teacher support the child in achieving his goal of getting into and out of the box?
  • What does the teacher do to avoid being intrusive (i.e., "fixing" the child's gross motor challenge)?

Reflection

  • What other materials and experiences could the teacher provide as a follow-up to this child's exploration of how his body fits in the box and how to get in and out of it?
  • How does narration of a child's actions support the child and provide information he can use to make progress in using large muscles to move and explore his environment?
  • How might the child communicate that he feels he has mastered this skill and is ready for a fun and playful challenge?

Preschoolers

Gross Motor: Video 2

Download the video [MP4, 8MB] Download the transcript
View the transcript

Teacher: ...up in the air. Put your branches up. And you hear this little tiny breeze coming from the
ocean, so you're swaying your little branches. But the winds get harder! Pshhhhhh! And the wind keeps
blowing! Shhhh! Keep your feet on the floor! Keep your roots on the floor! And then there's -- It's even
stronger. The wind is stronger. Ssshhh! And then it slowly stops. Did you see the wind moving you?
Children: Yeah.
Teacher: Did you feel it moving you?
Girl: Yeah.
Teacher: We feel it, huh? Go like this.
What do you feel when you do this?
Boy: Arie!
Teacher: Arie!
Girl: A little bit!
Teacher: It's a little bit of wind. If you go like this with your clothes, you feel it even harder. And today,
we're going to be watching out for the wind when we go outside, okay? Good job, everybody.

Close

Observation

  • Describe the physical setting for this video segment (e.g., how space is arranged, toys and materials available). Where are the children and teacher situated in relation to each other? Describe the activity the teacher leads. What do the children do when she says they should put up their "branches?" What are two purposes for this activity? How does the teacher go from one purpose to the next?

Application

  • Which teaching practices did the teacher use to engage children in this movement activity and to talk about the wind they would feel when they go outdoors? Check the "Know" and "Do" sections for ideas.
  • How did the teacher's tone of voice, movements, creativity, and encouraging words engage the children in moving their bodies and learning?

Reflection

  • What other sensory directions might be added to this activity to enhance the experience of moving the body in the imaginary wind?
  • What might the teacher do to encourage children's creativity and individualism while exploring the wind blowing their body and use of large muscles?
  • What could the teacher do to promote use of large muscles and focus, attention, and self-regulation?
  • How might the teacher build on this activity once the children are outdoors? What could she do after everyone returns to the classroom?
  • What other movement activities can support children's effective and efficient use of large muscles for movement and position?

Read more:

,  School Readiness