Movement and Dance in Early Childhood (Zero to Eight) - Practical

In this review of Movement and Dance in Early Childhood (Zero to Eight) the bottom line is straightforward: this book is for early childhood educators and parents who want practical, theory-informed ways to support movement and dance from birth to eight. Mollie Davies combines years of experience with clear guidance so readers can help children become skilled, creative and imaginative movers. The revised edition stands out for expanding the chapter on dance and linking movement closely to early childhood theories, making it a useful classroom and home reference.

Key Features

• Comprehensive age range: Covers development from birth to eight years so practitioners can plan progressive movement experiences across early childhood stages.
• Theory linked to practice: Provides detailed connections between movement activities and established early childhood education theories to back up classroom choices.
• Expanded dance chapter: Offers specific strategies and suggestions for working with young children on dance, supplying new ideas for creative movement sessions.
• Practical guidance: Shares hands-on methods and activities derived from the author's experience to help adults implement movement-oriented learning immediately.
• Revised and updated: The book is a full revision of the earlier edition, integrating fresh insights while retaining a practical focus.

Who It's For

This book is best suited to early childhood teachers, nursery practitioners and parents who want a grounded, practical resource on movement and dance development for children aged zero to eight. Those running play-based programs or designing movement curricula will find the theory-to-practice links especially useful.

It is less suitable for readers seeking a highly visual, activity-picture-heavy manual or a book focused solely on performance dance technique. Specialist dance instructors looking for advanced choreography or technical pedagogy may need a different, dance-specific text.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear connection between early childhood theory and movement practice supports thoughtful planning.
• Expanded chapter on dance adds fresh, applicable strategies for creative movement sessions.
• Practical, experience-based advice makes the book immediately useful in classrooms and homes.

Cons

• Not a highly illustrated activity book, so readers seeking many visual demonstrations may find it text-heavy.

Specifications

Title	Movement and Dance in Early Childhood (Zero to Eight)
Author / Brand	Mollie Davies
Audience	Parents, early childhood educators, nursery practitioners
Age range covered	Birth to eight years
Edition	Revised and updated edition
Focus areas	Movement development, dance, theory-to-practice links

Our Verdict

Movement and Dance in Early Childhood (Zero to Eight) is a solid, practical resource for educators and parents who want informed ways to promote movement and creative dance. Its combination of theoretical grounding and hands-on strategies makes it good value for those building movement programmes, though readers seeking richly illustrated activity guides may need to supplement it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book cover infants as well as older preschoolers?
Yes. The book explicitly covers development from birth through eight years, with guidance applicable to infants, toddlers and early primary children.

Is the content theory based or mainly activities?
The book links early childhood theories to practical movement activities, balancing theoretical explanation with hands-on strategies.

Is this a new edition with additional material?
Yes. This is a fully revised and updated edition that includes an expanded chapter on dance and extended investigation of how children learn through movement.