Fall/Winter 2002, Issue #43: Winter Movement Journey

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Nancy Blanning is the remedial and therapeutic teacher at the Denver Waldorf School and prior to that taught 17 years in the preschool/kindergarten. She remarks, “Seeing the children in our care change so much over the last fifteen years has been striking. Their nervousness, lack of physical confidence and security, and a weakness in all of the four lower senses finally became a crisis call for me. I needed to change my focus to the therapeutic realm specifically. This movement journey is a gesture towards giving movement enrichment, fun and healthy for all and therapeutic for many, that our modern children need so badly.

In the Gradalis Early Childhood Therapeutic Training we concentrate on bringing to consciousness the many movement opportunities young children need for healthy development. These movement journeys brought in the circle time are an expansion of that. The journey is set up in a large room (our eurythmy room) with the necessary props. Supported by the form and imagination of the story, the children have the chance for unrestricted large movement. The imagination guides the movement in healthy ways. The soul experience of healthy self-movement is joy and freedom. The more open and free the movement can be, the more the soul is nourished as well. The classes come one at a time once a week for a 4–6 week block. These can be adapted to the kindergarten classroom as well. The larger space is ideal but the quality of movement and imagination can be shared in any space.

Horse and rider, come this way. We’ll gallop through the snowy day.	Gallop around the room.
On we gallop, then say, “Whoa!” The snow is deep; we must go slow.	Gesture as though pulling in the reins. Come to a stop then walk deliberately, picking up feet as though stepping in deep snow.
Sticks and stones through snow field deep Peek up to trip us. Watch your feet!	Have some branches and stones arranged at different heights and distances apart for children to step over and around.
We step along with heavy tread. To climb a mountain we are led.	Lead children to part of room where stumps or tables are arranged so as to provide “steps” for climbing up and down a mountain.
Up the mountain, climbing high, We reach the summit, touch the sky. Then down the other side we go	Climb up mountain and down the other side.
And meet a river down below.	Lead children to “river,” a blue cloth on the floor with river stones arranged in a stepping-stone path.
To cross the river is our task. The water’s icy, flowing fast. The river stones show us this day A path across the river way. Stepping watchful, slow and neat, Take care that you don’t wet your feet.	Lead children across the stepping stones.
	Have an inclined balance beam next, elevated about two feet by a tree stump or small table, which the children will be able to jump down from to the floor.
Across the bridge now slowly go. The other bank is up hill, though.	Climb up the beam.
Off we jump…	Jump off. Repeat line until all children have done this.
…and take some time
To build a warming fire fine.	Sit down on floor, in a circle, if possible, so that all have room to criss-cross legs out in front of the body.
We’ll criss and cross the big logs so	Alternate crossing legs, one over the other. Repeat 2–3x.
The middle logs on next will go.	Alternate crossing arms in front of body, leaning forward, as though placing logs on the fire. Repeat 2–3x.
And last the tinder of sweet pine Will help us make a fire fine.	Repeat crossing gesture with fingers, 2–3 times.
We strike the match	Cross midline with right arm from left to right, as though boldly striking a match.
The flames rise high.	Arms as flames rising.
Bright cinders shoot like stars in sky.	Fingers as shooting stars.
We feel so warm We want to dance.e.	Rise to standing position. in a circle.
So let our feet Begin to prance.	Alternate tapping toes.
Song: “Circle to the left, old brass Wagon…”	Appropriate movements as directed by the song.
A smooth and sparkling field of snow Calls us onward; away we go.	Lead children to teeter--totter bridge.
But first a bridge of rickety-rack Will slow our going on the track. Tipple, topple, rick and rack. Step right forward, don’t look back.	Walk children across the teeter-totter bridge.
	Lead children to floor mat.
The snow is right and perfect now To roll a snowman. This is how.
Roll a snowman. Roll him round.	Guide children singly in doing a forward roll.
Plant him firmly on the ground.	Child jumps firmly, both feet together.
Give a tall, black, shiny hat.	Teacher presses gently but firmly on child’s head.
And a carrot nose like that.	Both fists brought together in front of nose to make long, “carrot” nose.
Who smells the carrot? Snowshoe hare! He’s sniffing here and sniffing there. He hops around without a sound. Slips into burrow underground.	Nose twitching, sniffing. Gesture rabbit ears. Sniffing. Bunny hopping, both feet together. Jump down into crouching position.
Into his home we, too, shall creep. Hush! Baby rabbits are asleep. We creep out other burrow door And find the shining snow once more.	Children crawl or creep on tummy though hula hoops or (better yet) have two adults facing each other join hands to create a tunnel -arch low enough to the floor that the children have to tummy-crawl through.
To home we’d like to go at last. Our day of snowy fun is past.	Take hands and lead children into a circle, sitting on the floor.
So many fun, bright things this day We all did see along our way.
We saw the bunnies sound asleep In their rabbit burrow deep.	Sleeping gesture.
A jolly snowman round and fat We saw with carrot nose and hat.	“O” gesture in front with arms.
The bridge of rickety and rack Led us further on our track.	Interlock fingers and tip arms back and forth like a teeter-totter.
We danced all in a circle line In that old brass wagon fine.
We built a fire warm and sweet That warmed our face and hands and feet.	Rub hands together, then face
We walked the bridge across the river, Walked tippy stones and did not shiver.	Gesture hands as though taking steps, one in front of the other.
We climbed a mountain top so high	Reaching upward in climbing gesture.
And felt that we could touch the sky.
We galloped with the horses gay.	Gesture as though holding reins.
Now we say, “Thanks!” for a perfect day.	Nod head on “Thanks!” for emphasis