Thoughts for the Week:

Dancing is one of the most natural ways people have to express our feelings to the world. Even before children can talk, they can communicate how they feel by the way they move their bodies in response to the tone and rhythm of voices and sounds around them. Through the gestures and expressions of this earliest of "dances," babies tell their caregivers a lot about fear, pleasure, anger, and curiosity.

Older children tend to find movement both a pleasure and an outlet for self-expression. They can take delight in their growing ability to control their bodies, and many even enjoy the discipline and effort that goes with learning a new skill. But even as their dances become more intricate and precise, you can sense their continuing pleasure in movement. By encouraging young children to express their feelings through movement, we can often provide them with opportunities for self-expression that can last a lifetime.