Body, Emotions & Movement

Overview

This 45-minute session for a class of 20 preschool children focuses on early childhood development areas of body awareness, recognising basic emotions, and engaging in simple movement activities. The lesson aligns closely with the Early Stage 1 learning outcomes described in the NSW Curriculum for early childhood development and health and physical education.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, students will be able to:

Recognise and name basic emotions like happy, sad, angry, and surprised (Early Stage 1 – Personal and Social Capability).
Develop body awareness by identifying parts of their body and exploring simple movements (NSW Early Stage 1 outcomes: moving their body safely and with control).
Demonstrate co-ordination and balance through imaginative movement activities (Health and Physical Education foundational skills).

These objectives align with the principles of the NSW Early Years Learning Framework embedded in the NSW syllabus aiming to develop children's identity, connectedness, wellbeing and active learning through physical activity and emotional literacy.

Lesson Breakdown (45 minutes total)

1. Welcome and Warm-up (5 minutes)

Gather students in a circle on the mat.
Briefly introduce the theme: "Our Bodies and Feelings".
Warm-up with a simple “Simon Says” game involving body parts (e.g., “Simon says touch your nose,” “Simon says wiggle your fingers”).

2. Body Awareness Activity (10 minutes)

Use a puppet or a mirror to explore body parts: head, shoulders, knees, toes, hands, feet.
Invite each child to touch or point to the named body part.
Play a gentle “Body Freeze” game where children move freely and freeze when the teacher calls out a body part to hold still.
Objective: Encourage self-awareness and control of body movements.

3. Exploring Basic Emotions Through Story and Role Play (10 minutes)

Read a short picture book or story with characters showing clear emotions (e.g., happy, sad, angry, surprised).
Discuss the emotions, asking questions such as:
- “How do you think this character feels?”
- “What makes you happy or sad?”
Use emotion cards or face masks and role play different feelings with simple facial expressions and gestures.
Objective: Build emotional vocabulary and early empathy skills.

4. Movement and Expression (15 minutes)

Set up an obstacle course/simple movement stations incorporating actions like jumping, balancing, stretching, and crawling.
Integrate emotion prompts, e.g., “Jump like you’re happy!” or “Crawl carefully like you’re feeling shy.”
Encourage children to express emotions through body movements and gestures.
Use upbeat, child-friendly music for rhythm and timing.
Objective: Enhance gross motor skills and emotional expression through movement.

5. Cool Down and Reflection (5 minutes)

Gather children back in a circle.
Lead a calm breathing exercise, asking children to place hands on their chest and notice their heartbeat.
Recap what they learned about body parts and feelings.
Encourage children to share “How do you feel now?”
Give positive reinforcement and praise effort.

Assessment Ideas

Observation Checklist (informal, ongoing during session):

Can the child identify and point to at least 3 different body parts?
Does the child recognise at least two basic emotions using cards or role play?
Does the child participate in movement activities with coordination and respond to emotional movement cues?
Does the child express feelings verbally or through facial/body language during discussion or role play?

Portfolio Evidence:

Document photos or short video clips (with permissions) of children engaging in movement and role play activities.
Teacher anecdotal notes on individual children’s emotional recognition and movement progress.

Curriculum Links and Rationale

NSW Early Stage 1 Curriculum Links:

Personal and Social Capability: Recognising and expressing emotions, managing self-awareness, and building respectful relationships.
Fundamental Movement Skills in Health and Physical Education: Moving the body in different ways, developing control, balance and coordination.

This plan embraces the NSW early childhood curriculum’s emphasis on holistic development — embedding physical, social, and emotional learning through play and active participation, consistent with the Early Years Learning Framework’s outcomes of wellbeing and identity.

Materials Needed

Emotion cards or face masks representing basic feelings.
Mirror or puppet for body part recognition.
Picture book showing emotions.
Music player and child-friendly music.
Obstacle course materials (cones, mats, balance beams, tunnels).

This engaging and multi-sensory plan respects young children's developmental needs and capitalises on play-based learning, supporting the NSW Curriculum’s goal of nurturing confident, creative, and socially capable learners.