Tape on the Floor, Rhythms in the Air, Bodies Moving Everywhere

Another new school year underway. This was the first week of my body-based, social-emotional movement classes with K-2 children at The Berkeley School. My first tape designs on the floor were a hit! It’s a creative, fun way to help give structure visually and spatially to my classes.

The kids move in, on and around the shapes taped on the floor. With the rhythm of my drum and voice as their guide, the children gather together on the circle, scatter around the room, and gather back.

♩ Come ♩ back ♩ to ♩ the ♩ circle

♩ Come ♩ back ♩ to ♩ your ♩ center

♩ Come ♩ back ♩ to ♩ our ♩ circle

The children sit on the circle and then scatter their bodies all over their own circle spot, then gather themselves back to their own body center.

“So where is your body center?” I ask. “Where do you move from and gather yourself back to?”

“My heart”, says one new kindergartener. My heart smiles spontaneously back.

A wonderful beginning to this new school year.

I’m looking forward to helping the children discover and develop their own personal centers in themselves, and how they relate to their world around them and within themselves.