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Hear the basic guidelines we have created together over the years
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Discover that where you put the Area can make a big difference
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Consider simple resources you might need
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Reflect on the different roles members of your team might take to support this learning area
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Think about the range of learning that happens here - physical, social and emotional. And how wellbeing is enhanced here
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Reflect on partnerships with parents
Learn about the value of including a focused Movement Play Area within your indoor learning environment - and hear from practitioners who have years of experience of supporting Areas in their setting.
Take this course to:
Value children's movement play afresh
Reviews
" You will never look at children's movement in the same way again. I am so excited to get started with our Movement Play Area and I can't wait to see our children develop and flourish. "
Jodie Finch
JF
" I have found myself looking at 'challenging' behaviour in a totally different way, and rather than trying to stop that behaviour I am now encouraging the child to come to the DMP area to help to work out their emotions. "
Margaret Rose
MR
" This course has been really useful in providing the tips and tricks to setting up a movement area and the practical things to think about regarding, size, safety and positioning of it using the walls etc. It has reminded me to keep it simple by having a clear space and not providing large fixed equipment. The information will definitely support me to promote the practice across my groups. "
Colleen Cartwright
CC
" I would highly recommend attending this course as it is extremely interesting and informative and has taught me an awful lot about our little people's bodies. "
Nicola Cooper
NC
100% of the early years research partners involved in creating the Development Movement Play research project reported that children were involved in more physical activity when they set up an Indoor Movement Play Area.
Joss doesn't find it easy to be in the nursery environment. He wants to play with the other children, but is easily overwhelmed. Before the Movement Play Area was set up, his key worker found ways to take him aside when he couldn't cope. Now Joss takes himself into the Area repeatedly during the day - when he needs it.
On arrival, he heads straight there and runs and rolls. During the Good Morning circle time he stays there, listening out for his name and calling out his response. He prefers not to get close to all the other children, but is is very engaged in what is happening.
During the day he returns to the Movement Play Area if something upsets him, or if he needs to settle or re-group.
When his mum comes to collect him at the end of the day she often finds him in the Area and goes to join him for a little play before they walk home.
Developmental Movement Play in action
Safe, purposeful and child-led
Introduce a space within your indoor environment dedicated to freeflow, spontaneous movement play that children organise for themselves. Create guidance to keep it safe, purposeful and child-led.
Deepen the learning
Develop your practice to deepen the learning that happens here. Make it the place where the Developmental Movement Play approach is at it’s most effective. Children come here to build sensory and motor skills, explore relationships and show you who they are. And to engage deeply in something they love - moving for the sheer pleasure of it.
Support children to move more
Make it available all the time and give it equal status with other learning areas. Notice how children move more as a result and how indoor movement is different from outdoor movement.
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
19 short filmed lessons divided into four modules. Downloads to help you plan and create your on area. Interviews with practitioners about their Movement Play areas; and two guest experts who have fascinating things to say about movement and learning.
The lessons take 2 hours 30 to watch straight through. The work you do to identify where to place an area, and then setting it up, will enable you to introduce this new area of learning.
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: The Space
What is a movement play area and what's it for?
How big is it? Where to put it? The resources you need. Guidence for children and guidence for practitioners.
Module 3: Your practice
Three ways to support the area; thinking about team roles; introducing Lana Karasik from the City University of New York talking about adult and child interaction in physical development.
Module 4: Children's Learning
Looking in detail at the learning that happens here - sensory, motor, social and emotional; and the ways it supports wellbeing, parents and partners. And a conversation with Kelly Mahler about the importance of interoception (the sense that tells us about things on the inside of our body) and links with movement play. Finishes with a quiz.
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.