Through these activities, they also develop movement patterns for more independent play and learning, so the presentation and workshop were mainly aimed at parents and families of children with special needs who are educated at CIRIUS Vipava.
Children with special needs often need more encouragement and opportunities to develop their primary potential. Tera/GIB activities involve selected imitations of the movement of 12 animals: frog, horse, cat, rabbit, koala, giraffe, crayfish, dog, snake, elephant, caterpillar and monkey.
They are led by a person directing, encouraging and supervising the child in the selected animal movement. By mimicking the movement of a particular animal, a child with special needs can develop motor independence, steadiness and dexterity, acquire a feel for their body, become more confident and join a group of peers more easily.
Activities can be undertaken individually, in pairs or groups, in a gym, playground or in a natural environment. It is essential that the child experiences pleasure through the movement activity, as this gives them a feeling of acceptance and inclusion. Tera/GIB activities are suitable for children with special needs as well as all other children.
This time, the Cirius Vipava professionals presented the origins of the Tera/GIB workshop and the importance and role of movement for people with disabilities. The screening of a 10-minute film introduced the workshop, the course of the exercises and the performance of the movement of 12 animals (a snake, a cat, a dog, a giraffe, a monkey, a crayfish, a rabbit…).
This was followed by questions from parents and interested members of the public, and then a repetition of selected activities, such as imitating the movements of a cat, a dog, a rabbit, a koala, a crayfish, a snake, a giraffe, an elephant, etc.
Coordinators: Erna Žgur, PhD, and Tjaša Filipčič, PhD, Faculty of Education, mentors: Klavdija Krušec and Diana Batista
