I’m Annabel Newfield and i’ve been running movement play dance sessions at the Whitworth Art Gallery for four years now. Originally my sessions were aimed at toddlers (and i still do run those sessions as part of the gallery’s Toddlertastic programme) but we get so many parents of non-walking children coming that i now facilitate my sessions as part of the gallery’s ‘Art Baby’ programme too.
And how cute it is! There’s something about having a whole load of fresh little humans that melts the heart in a whole different way to having toddlers there (of course i adore toddlers too 😉 Parents are crying out for different ways to meet their baby’s needs, but a baby’s needs are pretty simple. They need milk, warmth, love and space to grow and learn to inhabit their precious little bodies more and more. When parents understand the physical needs of their babes they are empowered in their parenting.
Children are physical – it’s the first language children communicate to us in, and the first we communicate to them in – rocking, snuggling, bouncing, etc… Everything they learn comes through their bodies (speech, literacy, numeracy, etc). In the Art Baby sessions I create a space that optimises the baby’s physical needs whilst also educating parents and carers to the theory and practice and play of it all. And the sessions are always inspired by the gallery’s collection.
So what do we do… lots of rolling, swinging, spinning, rocking, running, jumping, tickling, hugging, smiling, singing, sliding, bouncing, crawling, and so much more. It’s fun and it’s a work out for the grown up too.
Sessions are based on sound current research into developmental movement and allow time for kinaesthetic learning, supporting new development, revisiting developmental stages, creative, imaginative and emotional expression.
Sessions also develop physical skills such as balance, co-ordination, strength, stamina, gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and social skills like turn taking, sharing and communication.
One of my aims with running sessions is always to do myself out of the job… so that all the other workers in the settings i work in understand and incorporate movement play into the sessions they run too. It’s not rocket science and i look forward to giving all the attendees at the Babies in Museums workshop a live demo with real babies and their grown-ups!
Annabel Newfield is a qualified Developmental Movement Play teacher, having trained and worked with the Bare Toed Dance Company since 2002. She also run CPD training sessions for Early Years workers.
culturebabies 