Dance-Based Learning for Young Children’s Emotional Expression and Well-being

Description

In many early childhood settings, children don’t get enough chances to move, express themselves, or connect with others through their bodies.

This can limit their emotional, social, and creative development.

Many teachers say they feel unsure about how to bring meaningful movement into their classrooms – especially if they don’t have a background in dance.

As a result, opportunities for playful expression, group connection, and nonverbal learning are often missed.

Using the body is an important part of how young children learn. Movement helps them build confidence, manage their emotions, relate to others, and explore the world in a way that feels natural and fun.

This course gives participants clear, hands-on ideas for using dance and movement in early education.

Participants will learn how the body works and how to support children’s communication, group bonding, and emotional growth through movement, rhythm, and storytelling.

Participants don’t need any dance experience to take part. This course is open to all educators and caregivers who want to bring more creative movement into their classrooms.

By the end of the course, they will leave with a set of practical tools, activities, and short movement sessions they can use right away with children of different ages and needs.

Concept by Florence Neumann

Learning outcomes

The course will help participants to:

• Practice ways to help all children feel included and connected through dance;
• Learn how music, rhythm, and stories can support social and emotional learning;
• Design their own movement session or activity to use at school.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Introduction to the course and dance therapy

• Introduction to the course and the Academy;
• Introduction to the host city and the week’s cultural activities;
• Icebreaker activities;
• Presentations of the participants’ schools and institutions;
• Getting to know each other through movement and creative games;
• Reflecting on challenges and opportunities in early years education.

Day 2 – Foundations: Laban, Dalcroze, and somatic movement therapy

• Introduction to Laban movement analysis: anatomy of moving bodies;
• Dalcroze eurhythmics: rhythm, timing, musicality;
• Somatic practices: grounding and body awareness;
• Adapting methods to age groups and learning needs.

Day 3 – Storytelling through movement

• Exploring gesture and movement as tools for storytelling;
• Improvising short story-based dances to support emotional learning;
• Using children’s books or invented tales as inspiration for group movement;
• Supporting language learning through body-based expression.

Day 4 – Music, movement, and flow

• Learning rhythm and musical games to support focus and energy;
• Using props and instruments to engage younger children;
• Building short, engaging movement sequences that support flow and coordination.

Day 5 – Putting it together: your own movement session

• Developing a short, age-appropriate movement session;
• Practice and reflect on the session with the group;
• Connecting the week’s learning to your teaching context;
• Course evaluation: round-up of acquired competencies, feedback, and discussions;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance.

Day 6 – Structured cultural activities

• Structured cultural activity(ies) according to the hosting location;
• Learning journal: individual written reflection on the course experience;
• Course reflection: self-reflection and review of course materials and resources.

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