Grade 2 Movement Activities Non-locomotion Skills – Turning Notes

Movement Activities — Non-locomotion Skills

Subtopic: Turning (for age 7)

Why we learn turning

• Helps with balance and control.
• Important for many games and everyday activities (such as turning to join a line, changing direction on the field).
• Improves body awareness and safety when moving around others.

Specific Learning Outcomes (age 7, Kenyan primary)

1. Students will turn clockwise and anticlockwise on the spot while standing, keeping balance for 3 seconds.
2. Students will perform a two-foot pivot turn while walking and continue walking in the new direction.
3. Students will follow a teacher's signal (whistle, clap or drum beat) to start, turn and stop safely in a group.
4. Students will explain one safety rule for turning (e.g., look where you are going, keep space).

Suggested Learning Experiences (step-by-step)

1. Warm-up (5–7 minutes)

• Run on the spot, shake arms and legs. Follow with slow neck and shoulder rolls.
• Play "Follow the Leader": leader walks and makes simple turns; children copy.

2. Teaching the basic turn (10 minutes)

1. Teacher demonstrates turning on the spot: keep feet hip-width, bend knees slightly, turn whole body, use arms for balance.
2. Children try slow clockwise turns (count 1–2–3), then anticlockwise.
3. Use simple cues: "Turn like the sun moves" (clockwise) and "Turn the other way" (anticlockwise).
4. Use a drum (ngoma), whistle or clap to signal when to turn so children learn to react to signals.

3. Pivot turn while walking (10 minutes)

1. Demonstrate a two-foot pivot: take a small step, then bring the other foot to meet the first and turn together.
2. Practice in pairs: one child walks slowly; partner calls "turn" and child pivots on two feet to the left or right.
3. Progress to small courses: walk to a cone, pivot, walk to next cone.

4. Games to practise turning (10–15 minutes)

• Drum Turn: Teacher plays drum; when the drum stops, students turn to face a new direction and freeze.
• Red Light, Green Light with Turns: On "green" walk; at teacher's clap say "turn left" or "turn right" — children pivot accordingly.
• Obstacle Course: Children walk around cones and practice turning at each cone. Use simple Kenyan playground layouts (field, cones made from tins or stones).

5. Cool-down and reflection (5 minutes)

• Slow walking, deep breaths. Ask volunteers: "How did you keep balance when you turned?"
• Children say one safety rule they remembered.

Safety and Teaching Tips

• Ensure enough space between children — mark spots with cones, ropes or flat stones.
• Teach on a flat, non-slippery surface (school field or flat classroom floor with shoes removed if needed).
• Encourage soft knees and looking where they turn to avoid dizziness.
• Use local sounds (clapping, whistle, drum) so signals are clear and fun.

Assessment (simple, child-friendly)

Vocabulary and phrases to use with learners

• Turn clockwise (turn right)
• Turn anticlockwise (turn left)
• Pivot on two feet
• Freeze / Stop
• Space / Keep distance