What a week! During week 44, we had the opportunity to meet as many as 1 700 committed people from preschools in Skövde, Vänersborg and Mölndal. The purpose of the meetings was to increase knowledge about how we can promote more movement among children of preschool age.
The fall break can often be a good opportunity for schools and preschools to gather their staff for training. In Skövde, Mölndal and Vänersborg, they chose to increase the knowledge of preschool teachers and principals about how movement can become a natural and joyful part of children's everyday lives. We at Make a Move had the opportunity to talk about our model for increasing movement, where physical literacy as an approach has a central role. We believe that when children (and adults) experience that they can, dare and want to participate in activities, their joy of movement grows - and the desire to continue moving increases.
We also discussed the importance of daring to challenge traditional safety thinking in preschool in a constructive way by reflecting on why you say yes or no to different activities. And to sometimes re-evaluate their decisions. For example, allowing children to climb trees or jump off rocks is an important part of their development and learning - yet it is often something that adults automatically say no to.
The evaluation shows that participants took away many new ideas. To the question "What do you take away from today?" below is a selection of the answers:
"That we can involve all children in different ways and that all children can be involved in their own way."
"That we need to get more movement going in everyday life with the children, where they can be more involved in what we do."
"To think before I restrict children. For whose sake am I saying no or stop? Mine or the children's and who do they hit harder, the calm or the child's development/abilities."
Changing attitudes to movement is key
Increasing movement among children is not about buying expensive materials, but rather about a change in approach to movement where you try to see opportunities for movement based on what you already have. For example, it can be about using waiting time for movement or getting around in new ways. The creative and committed educators had several ideas to start with the very next day:
To the question "What can you do tomorrow?" in the evaluation, below is a selection of the answers:
"My colleague and I are going to fill a room with balloons on Friday and see what happens, how do the children respond to the material etc."
"Take out our mattress and practice somersaults."
"Walk like cats on the stairs"
"Tomorrow I'll find balls, pea bags and tape a balance line to the floor on my way to the dining room!"
"Have a ghost disco. We always join in ourselves, fun for everyone"
Laughter - proof of the joy of movement
During the lectures, participants were able to try out different exercises based on the fundamentals of movement understanding. It quickly became clear that when you have the opportunity to participate on your own terms and do things together with others, then the real change happens.
- We started by letting the participants try an activity on their own, and then they did the same activity in a group. Immediately the laughter level in the room rose, and there - in the middle of the laughter - is the joy of movement. You almost want to save those laughs in a jar," says Linda Johansson, process manager and trainer at Make a Move.
Laughter and smiles can often be the best proof that we are succeeding in creating joy through movement - together and on each individual's own terms.
We would like to thank all participants for their great commitment!
