My Body Moves
My Body Moves
Today we begin with Amara's own body: head, hands, and feet. Clapping, stomping, and turning then make each spoken word visible through movement.
Today's Approach
Amara is about 2 years and 4 months old. Keep each guided activity to 3–8 minutes. Looking towards a body part, touching that part, copying a movement, making a sound, or saying one word all count as meaningful responses. Give one simple direction at a time. Do not test reading, ask her to recite body parts, or require a movement sequence.
A4 Teaching Picture
Open the original image to download or print
How to use it
Print in colour on portrait A4 paper with “Fit to page” selected. If a printer is unavailable, show it full-screen on a tablet or computer. Guide Amara through a short sequence: look at a body, point to a part, hear one direction, and do one movement. She does not need to read the Chinese or English labels.
Goals
- Chinese: understand and meet 头, 手, 脚 and 拍手, 跺脚, 转身, then respond with a touch, movement, or short word.
- English: meet
head,hands,feet,clap,stomp, andturnthrough body play. - Body awareness: connect a pictured body part with the same part on her own body.
- Movement: practise clapping, gentle stomping, and slow turning, as well as starting and stopping on a cue.
- Life skills: notice hands and feet while washing, drying, taking shoes off, or putting them on, and attempt one step independently.
Materials
- The A4 teaching picture above, printed or displayed full-screen.
- A clear, non-slip movement space without sharp corners or clutter.
No doll, body-part cards, instruments, or other objects are needed.
1. Morning Chinese Picture Talk
Time: 5–8 minutes.
Let Amara look freely, then connect the picture with her own body:
- “这是头。摸摸你的头。”
- “这是两只手。小手拍拍。”
- “这是两只脚。小脚轻轻跺一跺。”
- “身体慢慢转一圈，又回来了。”
Choose only one or two prompts:
- “你的头在哪里？”
- “哪一双手在拍一拍？”
- “你想先拍手，还是跺脚？”
- “转完以后，我们怎么停稳？”
If she touches her head without speaking, respond with “你找到头了。”
If she points elsewhere, do not ask her to correct it. Gently model “这是你的手。手在这里。”
Today's Original Mini Story
In the morning, a little body wakes up.
The head nods gently as if to say, “Good morning.”
Two hands meet—clap, clap.
Two feet stand firmly—stomp, stomp, very gently.
The little body turns around slowly, stands still, and says, “I am ready!”
Model each movement first. Let Amara join whichever action interests her; she does not need to follow a fixed order.
2. English Time
Time: 3–5 minutes, focused on listening, touching, and moving.
Words
| English | Meaning | Action |
|---|---|---|
| head | 头 | Touch the head gently |
| hands | 手 | Hold up both hands |
| feet | 脚 | Look down at the feet |
| clap | 拍手 | Clap once or twice |
| stomp | 跺脚 | Stomp one foot gently |
| turn | 转身 | Turn around slowly once |
Useful Chunks
Touch your head.Show me your hands.Point to your feet.Clap your hands.Stomp your feet.Turn around.
Play:
- Say
Touch your head.while touching your own head. - Say
Clap your hands.and clap once or twice together. - Say
Stomp your feet.and make one gentle stomp. - Say
Turn around.and offer a hand or stay close while she turns slowly once.
Do not require translation or a complete sentence. Looking towards, touching, or moving the matching body part is enough.
3. Body Game: Picture Me and Real Me
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Find and Touch
- Point to the pictured head: “图里的头。” Then touch your own: “我的头。”
- Wait while Amara decides whether to point to the picture or touch her body.
- Explore hands and feet in the same way, naming only one part at a time.
- Let Amara lead: she points to one pictured part, and the adult touches the matching part.
One Direction Is Enough
- Begin with one action: “拍拍手。”
- If she remains interested, change to another: “跺跺脚。”
- A two-step direction such as “先拍手，再跺脚” is an optional stretch. Completing only one step is still successful.
Point to One, Two, Three
- On the bottom row, touch the one head picture and say
one. - Touch the two hands one at a time and say
one, two. - Touch the three footprints one at a time and say
one, two, three.
The three footprints are counting symbols; they do not mean that a person has three feet. Count only while Amara is interested, without expecting her to finish independently.
The aim is body matching, shared attention, and acting on a spoken direction. Do not require every spoken label or test the printed words.
4. Gross Motor Play: Clap, Stomp, Turn
Time: 3–8 minutes.
Choose two or three movements in a safe space:
- Clap once or twice, then let the hands become still.
- Stand with both feet steady, stomp one foot gently, then try the other.
- Hold arms out for space, turn around slowly once, and look at the adult while becoming still.
- Do one movement on
Go, then stop together onStop. - Offer a choice:
Clap or stomp?
Movement Safety
Keep stomps gentle; loudness is not the goal. Turn slowly and stop after one circle. If one-foot stomping is not yet steady, Amara can hold an adult's hand, march in place, or simply lift a foot. Stop immediately if she becomes unsteady, dizzy, over-excited, or unwilling.
5. Outdoor Observation
Add one relaxed 3–8 minute body observation to normal outdoor play:
- Notice how feet take one step at a time.
- Watch whether a runner's arms swing backwards and forwards.
- Notice a bird turning, a person waving, or how Amara's body becomes steady after stopping.
- Describe rather than quiz: “你的脚在走。You're walking with your feet.”
Do not comment on a stranger's body shape, appearance, or movement quality. Simply notice what bodies are doing, then return to child-led outdoor play.
6. Life Skills: Care for My Hands and Feet
Time: 3–5 minutes.
Invite Amara to complete one or two steps:
- Put her hands under the water by herself.
- Rub palms and the backs of her hands.
- Pick up the towel and dry her hands.
- Take off her shoes and put them in place, or guide each foot into a shoe.
Use short prompts:
- “小手洗干净。”
- “小脚进鞋子。”
Wash your hands.Shoes on.
Bedtime Recall
Keep it conversational rather than testing:
- “今天小手做了什么？”
- “你的脚在哪里？”
Head, hands, or feet?- “你还想拍手，还是跺脚？”