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Learn about the reflexes that kickstart physical development
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Discover how important the floor is for shaping physical development
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Learn more about why Tummy Play is so important
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Find out why Back Play and Side Play are equally as important
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Reflect on why bodies need to keep returning to the floor throughout the early years and beyond, to stay in good shape
See the detail and value in the movement play that babies and children create for themselves on the floor.
Take this course to:
The building blocks of motor development
Reviews
" I found this to be completely fascinating, I was engrossed from start to finish and even within the first 10 minutes it had me questioning and reflecting upon my own practice. Really useful, insightful, though provoking and practice changing. "
Natasha Young
NY
" This course has opened my eyes and deepened my knowledge about fundamentals of physical development, and the essential foundation that floor play provides. My aim will now be to prioritise creating a space to enable this play. "
Victoria Rempel
VR
" Informative and engaging. "
Kirsty Spencer
KS
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"There is so much to learn from this course, particularly in understanding how much we can learn from the children we are supporting." (Dianne Sexton). Practitioners say they now see not only the milestones, but also the process of physical development unfolding in many smaller movements in children's play.
Anissa is trying to hop, but she's finding it tricky. She needs these foundations to make it work:
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Core strength
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A connected up body (core to edges)
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A sense of her spine at the centre of her body
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The ability to shift weight to one side (and counterbalance)
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The ability to do one thing with one side of her body and something different with the other
How can you support her to develop the hop she wants so much?
Or do you support her to play strong foundations into place, that will help the hop to unfold? This would be a developmental movement approach ...
Do you make lots of opportunities for hopping practice and hope that it will sort itself out?
Developmental Movement Play in action
Know the basics
The foundations for strong, adaptable upright movement are created on the floor, in a series of unfolding early movement patterns. Recognise these in action, and support children to engage with them fully, in a developmental approach to physical development.
The floor is a workplace for children
Children often take to the floor to play and learn - they know that this is helpful for their body. Make learning environments that value the floor as a workplace, to give children more opportunities to get important developmental work done.
The role of the reflexes
Reflexes guide early movement development. Recognise them in children’s movement play, know which aspects of physical development they prompt, and offer a rigorously child-led approach.
Develop your pedagogy
When adults think differently, children move differently
Join the course
If you're training individually follow the "Buy Now £42" link. For multiple people to gain access to the course, follow the "Group Bookings" link.
Step 1. Create an account
Step 2. Press play
Head over to the course dashboard and start watching.
Step 3. Get going
Take the knowledge and extend your physical development provision.
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Course Info
Content
How to take the course
25 lessons, quizzes and downloads. Plus the opportunity to learn more about the movement in your own body if you want to, in 12 guided movement sections.
The lessons take 2 hours 40 to watch straight through. We recommend that you do lots of observations alongside the filmed lessons, to put the learning into action.
How long can I access the course for?
The course will be live on your dashboard for 3 months.
Will I get a CPD certificate?
Yes, you'll receive a certificate of completion when you have finished all modules.
Course Modules
Module 1: Intro
Module 2: Pedagogy
Introduction to the course and the opportunity to combine theory and practical learning.
Reflect on your aims for physical development and extend your practice.
Module 3: Developmental Movement
What is developmental movement and how are the reflexes involved in a child-led and play based approach.
Module 4: Back, Side and Tummy play
Explore 12 kinds of floor play that together build great foundations for a confident, well aligned body and a wide range of movement.
Module 5: Going Forward
Decide how you want to take your new knowledge back into your setting. A recap and a five-part framework.
Penny Greenland
Penny has been teaching across the early years sector for thirty-five years. In 1998 she set up the action-research project which led to the creation of Developmental Movement Play and has continued to research and develop the approach ever since.
She is author of Hopping Home Backwards: body intelligence and movement play and a contributor to several early years text books about physical development.