In ChildFriendly Pro's June 2026 ECE Learning Lab, child care operator Krystal Churcher presented three movement setups (Sound and Movement Exploration, Ribbon and Movement Art, and Obstacle Course Builders) for 12 to 18 months, 19 to 36 months and 3 to 4 years, arguing that movement is learning that builds listening, coordination, body awareness and self-regulation, and that educators should document it in those terms.
What the session covered
Movement activities in early learning programs are often treated as a way to keep children busy or burn off energy. In this Learning Lab, host Krystal Churcher described movement as one of the main vehicles for learning in early childhood, through which children develop listening skills, coordination, confidence, problem solving, self-regulation, language and early literacy foundations. She outlined three developmental functions: body awareness, including balance, muscle control and knowing where the body is in space; language and listening, since following movement cues builds vocabulary, rhythm and pattern recognition; and emotional regulation, because some children need movement to calm their bodies and others to release energy. The session followed ChildFriendly Pro's Learning Lab framework of Explore, Create and Build, with each invitation adapted for three developmental levels. Churcher emphasized using materials centers already have and replacing generic parent updates, such as saying the children danced today, with descriptions of the specific skills built, which she said communicates the value of early learning and child care to families.
How should educators set up a sound and movement exploration for different ages?
Churcher said the educator's job is not to lead a performance but to create an environment for exploration. The setup starts with an open floor area that is clear of obstacles, with a defined movement space and room to sit, stand and move, followed by a small selection of materials such as shakers, bells, drums and scarves. Prompts include asking what sound an object makes, what happens when moving slowly or fast, and whether children can copy a rhythm, after which the educator steps back to observe. For 12 to 18 months, the focus is cause and effect: offer one or two safe sound materials without choking hazards, sit on the floor, shake gently and pause, and watch for reaching, grasping, turning toward sound and repeating actions. For 19 to 36 months, add small drums, xylophones and scarves, model shake-and-stop or high-and-low patterns, and observe following directions, stopping and starting, and waiting for turns. For 3 to 4 year olds, ask children to create rhythms and lead peers, and observe patterning, leadership, memory and turn taking.
How do ribbon art and obstacle courses build motor skills and planning?
Ribbon and Movement Art connects body movement to the marks it makes. Churcher recommended an area where children can move freely, protected surfaces, ribbons or streamers, water or washable non-toxic paint and large paper, with the educator modeling waving, swirling, dragging and tapping and then stepping back. In her setup, infants receive one material at a time on paper on the floor, building reaching, grasping, shoulder strength and visual tracking. Toddlers experiment with slow and fast movements, indoors or on sidewalks and fences, with brushes and sponges. Preschoolers plan marks first, such as a long line or a circle, sometimes with music. Obstacle Course Builders use cones, blocks, mats, tunnels, hoops, chairs, pool noodles and painter's tape lines in a safe open area with a defined pathway and soft surfaces where possible. For 12 to 18 months, the course is low and soft with one or two challenges, and educators celebrate effort. Toddlers follow a pathway with one or two challenges, increasing difficulty only when ready. Preschoolers help design the course while the educator facilitates rather than directs.
How should educators document and communicate learning from movement play to families?
Churcher stated that the activity is not the learning; the activity is the vehicle, and the educator's role is to understand what the child is doing through it. The observation focus across the three invitations was body awareness, creative expression, coordination, self-regulation, confidence, listening skills, and planning and sequencing. She contrasted a weak entry, Emma played with a scarf, with meaningful documentation: Emma listened to the drum beat, moved her scarf in circles and stopped when the music paused, demonstrating listening skills, coordination, body awareness and self-regulation. Each activity in the session included a sample parent message. For infants exploring shakers, the message names cause and effect, listening, sensory awareness and coordination. For preschoolers who designed an obstacle course, it names planning, sequencing, collaboration, problem solving, leadership and gross motor development. Churcher said this type of communication helps families understand the learning behind play and recognize the professionalism of the program. Registered participants received a resource package and a certificate for one hour of professional development.
Music and movement setups and observation points from the session
| Time | Key point | What centers should do |
|---|---|---|
| 04:35 | Churcher: movement is learning; it develops body awareness, language and listening, and emotional regulation. | Plan movement as a learning experience, not only as a way to burn off energy. |
| 05:46 | Replace generic updates such as we danced today with the skills built. | Tell families that music and movement supported listening, coordination, body awareness and self-regulation. |
| 08:28 | The educator creates an environment for exploration rather than leading a performance. | Set up a clear, defined movement space with a few shakers, bells, drums or scarves, then step back. |
| 10:29 | Churcher: for 12 to 18 months, the focus is cause and effect. | Offer one or two safe sound materials, model slowly and pause, and avoid too many choices. |
| 14:36 | Churcher: preschoolers are ready to create rhythms, not only follow them. | Invite children to create a rhythm or movement for the group to copy and take turns leading. |
| 17:36 | The goal of movement art is not a perfect art project. | Protect surfaces, model waving, swirling and dragging, then let children explore. |
| 19:30 | Churcher: too many materials can overwhelm infants and young toddlers. | Offer one material at a time, such as a ribbon on large floor paper. |
| 28:39 | Obstacle courses need a safe open area, a defined pathway and soft surfaces where possible. | Build courses from cones, blocks, mats, tunnels, hoops and painter's tape lines. |
| 30:38 | For the youngest children, celebrate effort rather than success and allow repetition. | Keep the course low and soft with one or two challenges, and do not rush children. |
| 38:55 | Meaningful documentation names the observed action and the skills it shows. | Write entries such as listened to the drum beat and stopped when the music paused, showing self-regulation. |
How ChildFriendly Pro automates this
The session gave a sample parent message for every activity and age group, which educators would otherwise write by hand each day. ChildFriendly Pro sends observations and daily updates to families through its free family app, and its AI features help draft learning stories and refine tone; no software demo was shown in this session.
Next steps
- Register for the next free ECE Learning Lab with a professional development certificate
- AI features for drafting learning stories and refining tone in parent updates
- Free Movement, Music and Whole-Body Learning Guide with parent scripts
- Book a demo of ChildFriendly Pro for child care centers
