I’m an energetic mom of an energetic five-year-old girl. Although I’m not a trained athlete, I have taken specialty courses and continue to educate myself through a variety of training (see below), with psychomotorics being the apple of my eye.
When my daughter was born, I knew I wanted to help her develop physical literacy.
We started very early with simple activities and have been adding complexity over time. Playing throwing, catching, kicking or striking, visiting various playgrounds and parks to train climbing and balancing, and simply giving our daughter plenty of opportunities to move – all of it helped her to develop fantastic gross motor skills and most importantly, a love for movement.
I am drawn to physical activity; I attended primary sports school, did most of the sports you can imagine (with swimming, skiing, volleyball and tennis being among my favorites) and grew up in a family that, given my mom’s studies and profession in the field of psychopedagogy, was often discussing topics related to children’s’ physical activity at the dinner table.
Throughout the many months in lockdown, I became a sort of a trainer-entertainer of my daughter’s kindergarten friends – not because I planned it that way, but because other kids wanted to join our fun. Hula hoops, ball games, riding horses, jumping, climbing, catching, dog sledding; these are just a few of the outdoor activities we enjoy together. What I realized is that not all parents have the same inclination, motivation, or ability to play with and move with their children, and that encouraging movement through play is, in fact, my passion.
Main concepts behind the course
Gross motor skills, Fundamental movement skills, Psychomotricity, Enriched environment, Purposeful play, Play-based learning, Whole child development
Relevant courses and self-education
- First Aid Course / Erste-Hilfe Kindernotfälle bei ASB Düsseldorf
- “Developing Kids Motor Skills and Coordination from 0-6 years” Udemy course delivered by Sean Fyfe; a Sports Physiotherapist, Masters Level Exercise Scientist and a Tennis Coach
- Guest student at the German Sport University in Cologne, Summer 2021
- “Zusatzqualifikation Psychomotorik” (Additional Qualification in Psychomotorics), in Förderverein Psychomotorik e.V. Bonn, March 2021 – February 2022
- AHAB-Akademie, Kindersport-Trainer, May 2021
Reference work: Rae Pica, Renate Zimmer