Children with Down Syndrome: Discovering the Joy of Movement

Learning to move and moving to learn are vital aspects of every child's growth and development. Physical therapists and educators have consistently advocated the importance of being involved in a range of movement activities and games. Movement can provide an avenue for learning and interaction with others and can be linked to language and creative development. Children with Down syndrome (DS) often have a variety of health related problems and movement difficulties that may limit such opportunities. This article briefly outlines the perceptual-motor challenges typically faced by children with DS. Then, a framework for enhancing motor behavior using creative dance and Laban's concepts of movement is presented. (Contains 1 figure.)