This lesson is to help toddlers and preschoolers understand the concept of horizontal by doing various moving games. Most kids of varying abilities can derive benefit from this lesson. Give toddlers a helping hand with movements.

Horizontal is a concept used in later academics - crossing the "t" and "T" in printing, as an example; the way lines of reading are horizontal on a page; making the "=" sign in math is 2 horizontal lines. These are just beginning examples.

The more practice with horizontal shapes as toddlers and preschoolers, the better prepared children are for learning more advanced language and math skills.

Lessons to learn about horizontal

Have enough clear space ready. If you are using an indoor space clear the center of the room by pushing the furniture toward the walls.

It is best to wait half an hour after eating to do physical activities.

Children should wear comfortable clothes for moving about.

Advice: Praise every effort as a step toward success.

1. Using sliding motions, move sideways across room while looking and keeping body facing forward. Then turn to face the back of the room and slides sideways. Later, extend arms to side while moving horizontally.

2. Pretending to be an airplane with arms held out to the sides as the wings of the plane, while children run in a circle shape, gives them the idea of horizontal.

3. Practice moving across a flat horizontal floor and tell the children that the flat even floor that is level is horizontal; no feelings of going up or down, no valleys or hills.

4. Show the children a carpenter's level that has bubbles that come to the center when the level is horizontal. Let the child manipulate the level and bring it to horizontal himself; observing how it looks when horizontal.

5. Move across the floor while holding a cup of water without spilling. This is a practice in seeing what water looks like in the horizontal position.

Homepage for Toddlers and Preschoolers
How to Teach Motor Skills

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Rhythms and Dances for Toddlers and Preschoolers
How to teach toddlers and preschoolers rhythms, floor exercises, large motor skills, expressive dance, kinesthetic mini-lessons and full dances in a 98 pages including photos and illustrations.


Article by Susan Kramer