Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: Definition, Characteristics, and Activities for its Development

Since ancient times, the body has been seen as a tool or a connecting link with our mind. Both Greek and Roman culture have valued the factor of having a healthy body and, consequently, a healthy mind. Today, even though our society has changed a lot and our priorities are different, the idea of taking care of our bodies is still preserved. When talking about the theory of multiple intelligences, we cannot fail to mention bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

It is important to remember that all intelligences work together; however, each has its essential component. When we talk about the ability to use our body to express emotions, play or create new things, we refer to the use of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence. Like other intelligences, we are born as children and develop it as we experience, explore, and discover the world around us.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is one of the eight intelligences that make up Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences. It is important to remember that Gardner defines intelligence as “the ability to solve problems or produce products that are of importance in a given cultural context or community.”

In his theory, Gardner indicates that there are eight types of intelligence. They work together, but at the same time, they are independent. They all can develop based on stimuli. In this article, we will be describing one of them, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

Gardner defines bodily-kinesthetic intelligence as the ability to solve problems or create products using the body or parts. It is the intelligence of strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, dexterity, movement, expression, and body language.

According to Swiss researcher Jean Piaget, all thought occurs through the body during the first two years of human life. Therefore different researchers and educators have discovered that even the posture we have usually played a fundamental role in obtaining or inhibiting students’ academic achievement. Some scientists have suggested that poor posture may influence cognitive development while studying or working. In the same way, creative thinkers have reported that walking or running improves cognitive abilities. It is here that the theory of multiple intelligences seeks to unify the body and the mind by identifying physical activity as intelligence. Components of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence include controlling our body’s movement and the ability to handle objects dexterously.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence can be stimulated in the classroom through activities that require physical movement, games, acting, dancing, sports, crafts, pantomime, painting, and exercises. In this environment, the idea is that students can frequently work with different types of textures and objects and are in an open space. The teacher can motivate students by offering them opportunities to belong to athletics, sculpture, drama, and dance clubs, among other arts that integrate movement.

Characteristics of people with developed bodily-kinesthetic intelligence:

• Develop creative ideas while exercising.

They keep a notebook or their cell phone recorder to collect the ideas that occur to them while working out either in the gym or running outside.

• They enjoy activities related to relaxation and contact with the body, such as yoga.

Enter a state of relaxation and awareness of their mind and body by performing different postures, stretches, and exercises. In turn, they integrate the development of intrapersonal intelligence.

• They have hobbies and businesses related to their creations.

o They exhibit their creations and love to share their hobbies and even live off their artistic creations such as paintings, handicrafts, and handicrafts.

• They love to paint, build sculptures, and do crafts.

o In their free time, they love to work with clay, paints, and different types of manual materials to create.

• Play mime games and roles.

o They enjoy playing games that include mimes, riddles, and role-playing. They have to act or use body movement to represent emotions.

Strategies and materials used by people with developed bodily-kinesthetic intelligence:

•  Materials for crafts

Explore and experiment with different types of materials to create. They love to work with clay, paint, wood, and crystals to create mosaics, among others, to integrate the development of their visual-spatial intelligence.

• Musical instruments

Play musical instruments that require mastery of manual skills.

• Take acting or pantomime classes.

They love to take acting or pantomime classes so that they can express situations or emotions through their body.

• They use the body as a means of expression.

Through their body, they express their feelings and emotions. They say their thoughts through movements.

Activities you can do to develop your bodily-kinesthetic intelligence:

• Join a sports group.

You can play with friends, family, or groups of people. You can join a group in your community or neighborhood where they play sports. This type of activity also stimulates collaborative learning.

• Learn a martial art such as aikido, judo, or karate.

Learning a martial art will not only help you learn to defend yourself using your body but also to control your mind and emotions. In the same way, it develops a sense of responsibility, character, and discipline.

• Take dance classes.

The dance classes will help you learn to dance to different rhythms and encourage you to meet more people and share. This influences the development of your interpersonal intelligence and increases your self-esteem and confidence in yourself.

• Develop a hobby that requires the use of your hands, like gardening or cooking.

Start by reading books about hobbies like gardening or cooking. Identify what you would like to complete or learn and start putting it into practice. This can become a skill that allows you to generate income and even be a teaching reference for other people.

• Learn sign language or braille.

Start with introductory courses on communicating through sign language or learning braille. In this way, you are not only developing your bodily-kinesthetic intelligence but also contributing to the development of an inclusive society that meets the needs of people with functional diversity.

• Learn to play a musical instrument.

Learning to play a musical instrument develops not only motor skills but also influences the development of the discipline. In the same way, it integrates the development of musical intelligence.

In short, people with a developed bodily-kinesthetic intelligence can use their bodies as a vehicle of expression. Like the other intelligences, it is essential in the life and development of human beings. Kinesthetic bodily intelligence is one of the first intelligences represented to us from the first two years of life. These skills can be developed from infancy, both in the classroom and at home. The more we expose ourselves to dancing, acting, modeling, painting, and sports, the better our ability to develop it.

References

Armstrong, T. (1993). 7 Kinds of Smart: Identifying and Developing Your Many Intelligences. Plume.

Armstrong, T. (2006). Inteligencias múltiples en el aula. Barcelona: Paidós.

Bartolomei-Torres, P. (2018). Inteligencias múltiples en el aula, un recurso para el aprendizaje significativo en la Enseñanza de una Lengua Extranjera (Ph.D). Universidad de Granada. Recuperado de http://hdl.handle.net/10481/52430

Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind. New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.

Hall, M.C. (1999). Multiple Intelligences: Teaching Kids the Way They Learn. Torrance, CA: Frank Schaffer Publications, Inc.

Suazo-Díaz, S. (2006). Inteligencias múltiples: manual práctico para el nivel elemental. San Juan, Puerto Rico: La Editorial, Universidad de Puerto Rico.