MOVE & GROOVE – Heartbeat

Every one of us has a rhythm that we carry inside, our heartbeat. Our innate sense of rhythm started before we were even born, with the rhythm of our mother’s heartbeat. Finding our heartbeat and using it as a basis for movement can be enlightening and amusing, and for many children, it might be the first time they have heard it. Explain how the heart works, contracting over and over to circulate blood throughout the body to keep our cells (and ourselves) alive.

It isn’t always so easy to hear our heartbeat, but it is easy to feel it. Begin by having the children sit quietly with their eyes closed, have them take two fingers and place them on pulse points on the inside of the wrists and the side of the neck. Once they have located their pulse, have them use this rhythm to begin moving, just an easy walk around the room. Each child will move at a different pace, since no two heartbeats are exactly the same.
From there, it’s time for a little experimentation. Play some music that has a faster tempo, and have them check their pulse again after the song has ended. What happened? How is has their heartbeat changed? Vary the tempo of the music and check again to see what happens with the heartbeat.

The human body is full of surprises, and finding one’s own pulse is awe-inspiring for young children. They will never forget the power of getting in touch with their pulse and inner rhythm for the first time.