Rhythmic Locomotor Activities in Physical Education
Physical education is incorporated into the curriculum at every level of education in the United States. It is essential that students are physically engaged and aware of the importance of routine movement and activity. Rhythmic locomotor activities are just one area of physical education taught to students. They include several different exercises.
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Dance Exercises
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This area of rhythmic locomotor activity can take several forms, but generally involves some sort of organized pattern of rhythmic movements accompanied by music. Dance in physical education is specifically designed to test and strengthen students' motor skills and coordination with repetitive, timed movements.
Movement-Based Games
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Movement-based games are another area of rhythmic locomotor activities often conducted in physical-education programs. Games such as "Hokey Pokey" and "Red Light, Green Light" are actually great tools for teaching patterned locomotive skills. Movement-based games can be used to demonstrate a variety of motor skills or simply focus on one or two.
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Jumping Rope
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Jumping rope to a song or musical beat is a rhythmic locomotor activity that is also excellent for a student's cardiovascular health. Students can perform a variety of timed individual jump-rope activities or can work in groups of three or in large groups and perform "Double Dutch" activities. The latter set of activities allows the jumper to perform a greater range of rhythmic motions. .
Hula-Hoop Activities
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The hula hoop can actually be used for a variety of rhythmic locomotor activities, far beyond just rotating the hoop around one's body. The physical-education instructor can lead her students in a series of exercises set to music that could involve rotating the hoop around the left arm, right arm, neck, left leg and right leg. By creating a pattern that combines these movements, the instructor can give students a full workout incorporating a variety of motor skills.
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