MOVE Into Summer With Great Books!

by Rebecca Lancaster, Guest Contributor

Learning about the movement of the body when completing certain activities has always been an interest for me. Being a D1 soccer committed athlete, body movement is very important to me. I hope to become a physical therapist where I can treat and help patients of all ages so that they can get back to doing the sport they love or simple activities that they couldn’t do before.

When learning about the movement of the body sometimes it is best to start from the beginning. I have chosen three children's books that I think provide the best visualization and learning experience for kids. These books are all different but have one thing in common: movement. I know that the best way for kids to learn is by going to school and interacting with others. This pandemic has been a difficult challenge for many, but these books are a great way to get kids engaged and learning independently.

Waddle by Rufus Butler Seder

This children's book includes an animal on every page. Each animal has a certain movement that depicts who they are (penguins waddle, bunnies hop etc.) While the book speaks about the animal movement, it is a great way for children to copy and imitate movements. When children become of age they usually begin with crawling and then move onto walking...then jumping, and so on. It can be easier to understand the idea of these activities from reading this book. During the pandemic it may be hard for young kids to find things to do as school was their way of learning. Reading books like this one can help children learn independently.

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

This book tells a story about a boy trying to conquer his fear of the diving board at his local pool. The movement of the body when squatting and pushing off the board is the form needed to be able to jump. The book helps young kids to learn how and what to do with their body to perform the trick. When the boy gets scared he tries to take his mind off of it by doing stretches. Before any physical activity it is important that all parts of the body being used have been stretched in order to prevent injury. This book is a great read and learning experience for kids in the younger grades (K-2).

Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Tompson and Sean Qualls

This book is based on a true story of a boy born with a disability. He had no movement in his left leg and had to learn to do everything with his right. Any human needs to have two legs to walk, run, stand etc, but Emmanuel learned to compensate and figure out how to do the same things with one leg. Young kids can learn the importance of having both legs and how they are lucky to be able to move both. Emmanuel wasn’t lucky enough to be born with both but he was able to understand his own body and the other benefits he has to be able to complete the same activities.

What books do you love that promote movement?