Dancing, singing and making music are part of a child’s process of growing up and learning what their bodies can do. Arts-integrated teaching taps into children’s natural desire for active learning through the senses. By dancing, imagining, and connecting their bodies and minds, children learn how to interact with other people, objects and the world around them as well as learn to coordinate their bodies and help develop spatial awareness.

In the 9th episode of the educational series Pieces of Eight, Jacqui Berkeley introduces Sheila Callaghan and pupils from Silverstream Primary School who show how to use music to make dance movements and demonstrate useful tips for anyone wanting to make up their own dances. They experiment with travelling motions, speed and levels.