This skill is to teach the meaning of moving forward and moving backward in space.

Some examples of how these concepts will be used later in learning math and language skills are: moving forward or backward on a line of text in a math problem or story, and writing out directions to follow in a logical and sequential list.

For practice

If indoors, clear an open space by pushing furniture toward the outer edges.

Teacher stands at one end of the room, and children stand in a group at the far end facing the teacher.

The teacher says, "Everyone run toward me, and that means you are moving forward."

When the children have all run up to the teacher, he says, "Keep looking at me while you take steps behind yourself to go back to the other end of the room. That means you are moving backward."

After practicing this exercise a few times children remember what moving forward and moving backward mean.

Forward and backward game

Children sit in a group as the audience and one child goes to the front, as the actress, to pretend to be on the stage and faces the group of seated children.

The actress stays facing the group and then either moves forward or backward.

The seated children say out loud either "forward" or "backward" in response to her movement.

Let the children take turns being the "star" - after a group session like this the concept will most likely stick with most children.

The children in the audience watching are using their visual skills to learn this concept. The game can be played as often as necessary or occasionally as a refresher!

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 and photo credit by Susan Kramer