We know that some of our tiny tots are going to grow up with severe physical and learning difficulties. We also know that if these children do not have the opportunity to practice sitting, standing and walking when they are 7-15 months old, the time when children are normally experimenting with weight bearing and learning balance, the possibility of these tiny tots learning mobility skills is lowered. The MOVE Program encourages early movement and learning and can be used alongside developmental approaches like Bobath (NDT) to help facilitate the acquisition of movement skills.

MOVEMENT IS THE FOUNDATION FOR LEARNING. Movement is learned by action-reaction. Children learn when they see something that fascinates them; they want to roll toward it, to feel its texture or to explore its properties. Movement teaches children about themselves and their environment, about concepts like up and down and in and out. It is also through proprioception (pressure on the muscles and joints) that they find out what their body is like; head goes on top, feet are underneath.

If children do not have movement skills it becomes difficult for them to learn about themselves and about their environment, creating gaps in their early learning concepts. The MOVE Program helps fill these gaps. It encourages parents, therapists and teachers to observe and find out what the child would really like to be able to do and task analyze ways to help the child and family achieve success. MOVE works by setting up simple, clear goals to help the child play, communicate, explore and learn with increasing independence. It sets up a framework for finding ways in which children can move. It is up to us as parents, educators, therapists and friends to provide them this opportunity.