Feet on the Ground
In these photos, you can see children busy with activities both outdoors and indoors, playing with friends or happy to play on their own; free, content and engrossed in their work. Though, there is one piece of classroom furniture absent from each of these photos…can you spot it?
That’s right, not a single child is sitting down in a chair.
Why is that?
When you sit a child in a chair, their connection with the ground beneath them is interrupted and therefore their balance is completely shifted! The solid stability of the ground beneath our feet is what helps us to be confident and accurate in our movements, so shouldn’t we be encouraging that in our children as they play?
When doing activities at tables, children should be able to explore their work with their full reach and not be limited by their seated position. Instead, take away the chairs and allow them to stand and see how they navigate their space so much more freely.
While it is important for children to anchor themselves, it is also key that they have access to furniture where they can still be stable and secure. Smaller chairs for smaller people, as well as using them at appropriate times; for example, eating their snack or because they choose to sit down for a steadier activity.
Not to mention, when you give children ample opportunities to move about their space freely without the restriction of needing to ‘sit still’, they are constantly building upon their balance, core strength, motor skills, coordination and control - among many other vital skills that are necessary to growing healthily and happily.
So what are you waiting for - stand up! #theinspirephilosophy
As an eco nursery in Dubai who has been established in Jumeirah for the last 30 years, we are honored to welcome the next generation of students into the Kid’s Island Nursery in Jumeirah family and it is rewarding to hear parents say “I remember what it felt like when I experienced this at the nursery for the first time”. It is important to cherish your warm childhood memories and even more important to create new ones with your child.
