Young children love to spin in place, and probably don't realize this fun game is really part of the skill of learning about clockwise and counterclockwise directions of movement.

Movement while spinning in place, both clockwise to the right, and counterclockwise to the left, also develops right-left brain connections - important in later academics where both sides of the brain function back and forth in language, communication, and problem solving.

As this is an important skill to learn before being able to tell time from the hands of the clock, here's a kinesthetic lesson to practice using these concepts:

Moving like the hands on a clock

Provide a large space to move; if in a room push the furniture toward the walls to clear an area.

Wait at least half an hour after eating before beginning this lesson.

To begin

1. All children and partners, and the teacher amongst them, take hands and form a big circle, then drop hands and stand in place.

2. Next, the teacher demonstrates turning in place in a clockwise direction (to the right) and asks the children to copy her.

3. Then the teacher demonstrates turning in place in a counterclockwise direction (to the left) and asks the children to do the same.

4. Next all join hands and slide toward their left in the circle so the whole circle is moving to the left. She tells them this is a clockwise direction.

5. The action is repeated sliding in the circle to the right and she tells them this is a counterclockwise direction.

After practice while the children are seated and resting is a good time to show them that the hands on a clock move "clockwise - to the right".

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