This article debates how muscles happen in early childhood education. Drawing on post-developmental pedagogies and feminist science studies, this article integrates moments from a pedagogical inquiry with movement in early childhood education to trace how muscles matter as complex and active ethical, political, and pedagogical concerns. After…

This study examines the pedagogical strategies of a dance instructor working with older adults in a virtual asynchronous community dance class, and the ways in which dance instruction influences older adults' physical literacy. Physical literacy is a multidimensional framework which helps us understand meaningful and motivating physical activity…

The focus of this article is understanding the perceptions that Canadian Indigenous teachers and students have on a novel physical activity teaching method that is utilised in the classroom. We explore the role that physical activity plays in the healthy growth and development of children, with special attention to Indigenous children. Through…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent validity of the PLAYfun tool, a physical literacy-based measure of movement competence, by examining its association with objectively measured physical activity in a sample of children and youth. Method: Participants included 110 children between the ages of seven to 14 years…

Background: The Move 2 Learn (M2L) program is an evidence-based intervention designed to improve movement and pre-literacy skills in children ages 1.5-6 years. Purpose: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention as delivered by non-experts in a community-based setting. Methods: Staff from four…

This article focuses on the speculative practice of "study" in relation to movement pedagogies in early childhood physical education. Bringing the concept in conversation with movement pedagogies, we work to unsettle universalized approaches to early childhood physical education. We orient toward movement pedagogies that refuse the…

Early childhood is an opportune time to develop physical literacy, acquire movement skills, and promote physical activity. Little is known about early childhood educators' competence (ECEs) and confidence in physical literacy knowledge and its application to practice. The purpose of this research was to examine the competence and confidence of…

Movement is relatively invisible in literacy theory and pedagogy. There has been more recent scholarship on the body and embodiment, but less on connections between movements, body and literacy. In this article, we present the Community Arts Zone movement project and ways that the study opened up spaces for creativity, experimentation, and…

Educational scholars agree that the relationship between curriculum development and practice is mitigated by complex political and cultural agendas (Goodson 1984; Vertinsky 2007). As a performing art form and physical activity, dance does not easily fit within the context of a typical school subject and is a site for ontological and…

In this paper, we draw attention to the profound lack of racial diversity as well as the prevalence of whiteness within Canadian faculties of Kinesiology and Physical Education. In support of our argument that there exists an immediate need for equity programming within physical education in higher education, we present the results from two…

In this conceptual piece I use two pedagogical texts or moments--a preschool/kindergarten diagram representing body parts, and an adult dance class--to explore gaps in curricula and practice with respect to the treatment of young children's sexual curiosity. Looking first at social constructs of children's sexuality and sexual curiosity, and at…

Among 20 Ontario elementary school teachers (average teaching experience 13 years), none had ever taught creative dance but all felt it should be included in the elementary curriculum. Barriers to implementation included lack of training and confidence, little support from administrators and policymakers, and lack of resources and facilities. (SV)

Outlines are presented for 30 creative dance lessons for first grade children. Each lesson description includes: (1) a statement of the lesson objective; (2) an overview of how the lesson illuminates a general concept of dancing; (3) musical equipment needed; (4) introductory activities; (5) tasks for skill development; (6) suggestions for the…

Outlines are presented for 30 creative dance lessons for second grade children. Each lesson description includes: (1) a statement of the lesson objective; (2) an overview of how the lesson illuminates a general concept of dancing; (3) musical equipment needed; (4) introductory activities; (5) tasks for skill development; (6) suggestions for the…

Outlines are presented for 30 creative dance lessons for third grade children. Each lesson description includes: (1) a statement of the lesson objective; (2) an overview of how the lesson illuminates a general concept of dancing; (3) musical equipment needed; (4) introductory activities; (5) tasks for skill development; (6) suggestions for the…