TEACHER TRAININGImaginary Journeys through Movement & Sound

Moving in response to musical cues helps young children develop the listening and motor skills needed to follow directions, cooperate with others, and learn.

Through child-centered play, students discover how to move together sharing the learning space. They enjoy working together as a listening and learning team!

During an Imaginary Journey, children carefully listen for musical cues that signal each step in a story’s sequence of events. The teacher observes how children move to assess their understanding.

After the Imaginary Journey is over, the teacher shows students how to draw a story map
to outline the journey’s sequence of events.

Finally, students draw their own story maps to demonstrate understanding. Grade 1-2 students add captions. Individual details bring to life each child’s unique visualization of the Imaginary Journey.

Imaginary Journeys invite students to become part of the story. Active experiences that give children an opportunity to “step inside,” create a much stronger connection than simply hearing a story read aloud. Through enacting the story together the children internalized the story structure and gained a deeper understanding. They were then able to recall more details and events in sequence when drawing their story maps. I also love that my children learned to cooperate, use their imaginations, and work together for a positive learning experience.

1st Grade Teacher | Fairfax County, VA

Workshops Available

Imaginary Journeys teach strategies that connect play with listening, learning, self-regulation, and motor skills. Marcia Daft developed these early childhood workshops and courses for the Changing Education through the Arts (CETA) Program at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
PreK to Grade 2 teachers can choose to explore a 3-hour introductory workshop, or take
a deeper dive through our 4-session course.

Imaginary Journeys through Movement and Sound

Students listen for musical cues that guide them to move through imaginary worlds
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Imaginary Journeys through Movement and Sound: 4-Session Course

Students listen for musical cues that guide them to move through imaginary worlds. In these imaginary worlds students explore language, mathematics, and science.
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