Large en small movements

Introduction 

As with the previous session, it is important that the children continue to trust each other and that this confidence or trust is extended throughout the entire approach. To gain this you will do a short trust exercise. Read the following step by step instruction where I explain what needs to be done.

1. Place the children in a circle

2. Explain to the children what is planned for today

In this case; start with two short exercises. Warm up through an exercise of large and small movements, examine the movements of different parts of the body, and their finish

Exercise 1: Blind trust

Step 1: Place the children in pairs, don’t let them decide their partners, as you will need to group the pairs by their height.

Step 2: Ask the pairs to spread themselves across the room.

Step 3: As their mentor hand a blindfold to each pair. If you don’t have this available, you can always use clothing such as a scarf or a shirt to cover their eyes.

Step 4: Explain the exercise

The idea of the exercise is that one person from each pair wears the blindfold. The person who is NOT wearing the blindfold has to hold the person with the blindfold on. The way they hold their partner doesn’t matter as long as they don’t let go. As soon as the music starts the person without the blindfold has to start moving to the music in the way he or she prefers. The intention is that they accompany the person with blindfold. As soon as the music stops, the roles alternate

Points of attention:

- Let each child be blindfolded for at least 2 min.

- Let the children decide for themselves how to guide the person without a blindfold. It’s a search process in which they will          discover how they can best handle this. This is the only way the blindfolded person will gain trust in their partner!

- Explain the rules to the children before starting the exercise. For example you could say that don’t want to see people                   pushing and pulling each other or children falling on the floor and getting hurt.

Exercise 2: Back to back

Step 1: Using a similar process for selecting pairs to exercise 1, as the pairs need to be a similar height, ask the pairs to remain standing.

Step 2: The children have to sit back to back with their knees bent and elbows linked.

Step 3: when a signal is given by the mentor, the pairs have to try stand up together, by pushing against each other with their backs.

Points of attention:

- Let the children try to get up themselves. If it appears difficult for them you could try to help them by giving useful tips.

- Again you need to explain the rules before starting the exercise. Or perhaps reiterate what you absolutely do not want to see    happening.  

4. Video

Here you can also find a detailed video which explains the exercise.

Warm-up

During the warm-up there will be another small exercise. The idea of the exercise is that children will imitate different animals by using big and small movements. Read the following step by step instruction where I explain what needs to be done.

1. Place the children in a circle.

2. Explain the exercise to them.

The aim of the exercise is that the children will move freely to the beat of the drum. The moment the drum stops playing they have to start moving like the animal you mentioned to them as quickly as possible.

Step 1: Ask the children if they know some animals that have big movements.

Step 2: Ask the children if they know some animals that have small movements.

Step 3: Show them pictures of the animals that you will be using during the exercise and ask them how each animal moves. In other words, you will be asking them to imitate the animals you will be showing them.

Step 4: Afterwards explain to the children what you will do. (Look at explanation of exercise).

Step 5: Let the pairs spread themselves across the room.

Step 6: Start the exercise by beating the drum.

Point of attention:

- The animals you will be working with are:

For the big movements: Elephant, giraffe and Gorilla.

For the small movements: Mouse, Worm and a Bee

- Let them decide themselves how they want to imitate the animals. If they really don't know how, you could help by asking           some additional questions to clarify. Below you can find a video were I show an example of the possible imitations of the         animals.

- Below you can find the links of the pictures of the animals: 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Elephant_near_ndutu.jpg/266px-Elephant_near_ndutu.jpg

https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/2019/withthedeath.jpg

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/09/24/article-0-1836486C00000578-746_634x688.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/House_mouse.jpg/266px-House_mouse.jpg

http://thumbs.media.smithsonianmag.com/filer/27/85/2785c794-f5c4-4c22-b09f-8bd28070574f/worm.jpg__1072x720_q85_crop.jpg

https://www.ecosia.org/images?q=een+bij#id=7308D821BA1974507895190F90C8A2BF1E346DAA

4. Video

Below you can find a video where I explain the exercise again. You could also use this video if the children are struggling to visualise animal movements.

Core

During the core of this session you and the children will be able to further experiment with big and small movements using all of the possible body parts. Afterwards those movements will be practiced in pairs which will also help to improve communication.

Exercise 1: variations in large and small movements

1. Let the children spread themselves across the room.

2. Ask the children to close their eyes.

3. When their eyes are closed you can go deeper into the exercise instructions

The intention is that first small movements are made with the fingers, hands, arms, head, torso and finally the whole body. Afterwards large movements will be made with the same body parts.

Step 1: Ask the children to make individual small movements with their finger then their fingers, hand, arms, head and torso individually one by one.

Step 2: When this is done they can start making small movements with their whole body.

Step 3: Ask the children to make big movements with their finger then their fingers, hand, arms, head and torso individually.

Step 4: When this is done they can now start making big movements with their whole body.

Points of attention:

- It’s important that you let the children move freely during the exercise.

- Explain to them that it is important to keep their eyes closed during the entire exercise.

- To make sure that no accidents occur, tell the children to make their movements on the spot.

- On the link below you will find the song I use in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=river+side+instrumental+agnes+obel

4. Video

Below you can find a video where I explain the exercise again.

Exercise 2: working in pairs

1. Ask the children if they can stand in the same pairs as the previous exercise.

2. Tell the pairs that they have to spread themselves across the room.

3. Explain the exercise

The idea of this exercise is that one person from each pair will be the leader and the other the follower. The leader will move freely to the music by making large and small movements. The follower basically has to follow the leader does. He/she will be the reflection of the leader. After a few minutes the roles of the pair alternate, and the follower becomes the leader and vice versa.

Points of attention:

- As a mentor explain that this exercise is not about copying exactly what the leader does, but that it’s enough if they try their        best to feel and take over the leader’s energy.

- Before the exercise starts the mentor will decides who will be leader and who will be the follower. This way discussions                between the pairs can’t take place.

End

To finish this session on a good note there will be one more small exercise that takes place within the theme of this session.

1. Place the children in a circle

2. Explain the exercise

The intention is that a song will be played in which you will hear the inflating and deflating of a balloon. When the balloon inflates the children have to make themselves as big as possible. When the balloon deflates they have to make themselves as small as possible and try to relax all of their muscles.

Points of attention:

- You can try to make it more visual by inflating and deflating a balloon yourself while the song plays in the background. If you don’t have this available it’s not necessary.

- The link of the song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIfNg6j0fGA

3. Video

 Below you can find a video where I explain the exercise again.