Walking the Line
The young child is in a sensitive period for the perfection of movement. In the classroom, we provide for this need with the exercises of “walking on the line”. We use a line on the floor, in the shape of a circle, and we teach the children to walk on it. Sometimes the line is used for movement with objects or moving to the rhythm of music. Other times, the line is for simply walking with one foot in front of the other, to practice balance, coordination and focus.
One morning, a child spontaneously began to “walk the line” as his first work choice. His movements were peaceful and intentional. As the other children noticed, they joined him. Suddenly, there were several children practicing this grounding activity. No teacher was needed to direct the children, as they quietly made quite a few trips around the circle. What an inspiring way to start the day.
