Think To The Beat �

Neurocognitive Movement Activities

Lynne Kenney, PsyD May 2015

www.lynnekenney.com www.kenneydigital.com

www.lynnekenney.com www.unhookedbooks.com www.kidlutions.com

How The Brain is Built � and Why It Matters

Rhythm Improves Brain Development �

1.  Rhythm  begins  at  8  weeks  gesta3on.  

2.  The  brain  and  body  are  built  on  rhythm  and  3ming.  

3.  We  can  teach  thinking  skills  &  impulse  control  with  musical  notes  and  movement.  

4.  Motor  3ming  improves  thinking  &  communica3on  skills.  

’s g, P ~ I’s , ’s !

• Encode with half-notes • Retrieve with quarter notes • Think it out with whole notes • Integrate with rest sign

Think, Learn, Inhibit

Planning Organization Selective Attention Sustained Attention Working Memory

Encoding Retrieval Initiation Impulse Control Self-Monitoring

Engaging 8 4 2 1

Calming 7 5 3

Gross Motor Fine Motor

Nacho Arimany InTime Advanced Brain Technologies

Activities

Marching to the beat, gross motor Emphasizing a downbeat Adding fine motor movement, sound, voice Adding cognition (counting, spelling, categorizing) Walk and talk a skill set Add balls on a beat Two person movement exchange (mirror, imitate, figure it out)

Resources

Jensen - Teaching with the Brain in Mind Westendorp et al. Effect of a ball skill intervention on children's ball skills and cognitive functions. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Feb;46(2):414-22. van der Fels et al. The relationship between motor skills and cognitive skills in 4-16 year old typically developing children: A systematic review. J Sci Med Sport. 2014 Sep 21. pii: S1440-2440(14)00177-7. Rubia et al. Synchronization, anticipation, and consistency in motor timing of children with dimensionally defined attention deficit hyperactivity behaviour. Percept Mot Skills. 1999 Dec; 89 (3 Pt 2):1237-58. Gordon et al. 7 Sep 2014 Musical rhythm discrimination explains individual differences in grammar skills in children, Developmental Science. Handsonaswegrow.com Teachpreschool.org www.movingsmart.co.nz braininsights.myshopify.com www.letsplaymusicsite.com www.sparkpe.org Neuronet