One of the six basic Multiple Intelligences(MI), bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is a special concept as

proposed by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. The word
"kinesthetic" derives its meaning from another technical term called "Kinesthesia" which means a
sense for any movement. In other words, it also refers to a keen awareness for perceptible changes
in our body momentum, balance, position and stationary presence. With this sense, we can easily
know how our bodies and their components are moving in a perfect balance. Three of the most
significant aspects of kinesthetic intelligence include:

Invisible control of motions within the body.

A capability to handle objects and things with good skills.
An ability to use the entire body to get required motions

Just watch a child who is always on the move. That child may even move his body while studying or
watching TV programs. In fact, such a child looks tremendously energetic and exciting. For this child,
moving around is a primary objective. If not moving, the next best thing he or she does is to fiddle
around seats by moving arms and feet. In fact, these activities help children concentrate better!

Gardner, in his treatise on this type of intelligence, opines that children who possess this intelligence
have a beautiful sense of timing, a great inkling to achieve meaningful physical action and an
impeccable ability to maneuver their responses to convert them into immediate reflexes. In other
words, children who possess such intelligence have a very high degree of motor control and an
ability to use body motions to generate energy and concentration. In our culture, people believe that
such intelligence does not exist as they think those children who are physically active and agile as
public nuisance. However, Gardner believes that bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is a hidden gift for
many children because it helps them in learning in a practical sense.

Gardner also believes that this intelligence has its origin in the body itself. Some of the examples he
mentions are as follow:

A dancer attributes her ability to perform, to the actions, which generate from within the body.
She has the ability to do this without looking at written words or images.
Architects and engineers feel a sense of movement within their bodies for mass, volume
shape, size and patterns.
A young gymnast like Nadia Comaneci gets perfect 10 out of 10 for her amazing abilities to
perform a series of unbelievable skills. Such great gymnasts possess an innate ability to
generate movements and actions from within their bodies.

In fact, all human emotions take their origin from a hidden kinesthetic experience. Just think of all
those emotions and experience that arise when you read an excellent novel. It could be emotions
like a sense of being "touched", "gripped", "scared", "fearful", "led", "guided", "held", "saddened" or
"chilled". When you read tragedy, you feel as if you are so "sad". Alternately, when you watch a
horror movie, you may feel "scared" or "gripped". The feelings and emotions that we generate from
within our bodies could be anything and all of them are kinesthetic in nature. In fact, almost all
children, who are below the age of 10 years, display an ability to sense their body movements and
functions. However, some children have a heightened response to their inner body movements.
Such children are very agile active and energetic.

The major advantage of possessing this intelligence is the ability to display excellent hand-eye
coordination and a skill to show a character of dexterity. The prominent characteristics of bodily-
kinesthetic intelligence are:

Very good at dancing and sports and activities that involve movements of bodies.
 An excellent physical coordination - children are very active and agile with their bodily
functions.
They are very good in doing things rather than hearing or seeing.
Very adept at achieving their goals by using their body and mind.
Very good motor control, hand-eye coordination and muscle coordination.
Possess an ability to create things and patterns with their hands.
Excellent physical shape and strength.

Note: Great dancers, engineers, gymnasts, builders, sculptors and actors of the past possessed this
intelligence.

Identifying children with this intelligence is rather quite easy. Such children enjoy moving around.
They usually excel in sports, swimming and physical activities. In addition, they could be very good
architects and engineers. In all, they could be very good in those activities that demand action and
movements.

There are lot differences among children, who possess this intelligence and those who do not.
These children just love evaluating how things work and they do not like others telling them what
they should or perform. They follow their instincts and gut feelings. They cannot stay at a place for
longer time and they move around a lot. They also love outdoors and nature. In effect, they know
their bodies and inner movements. Movements and dynamism come naturally to them.

Just look at a child when he utters the following words:

"I can work better when I do something like running and jogging"
"I love spending time to ride on my bicycle"
"I enjoy building castles in sand"

Note: These are perfect examples of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.

Bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is a special ability that many children possess and display. At times,
they might not be studious and academically intelligent. However, they can excel in many other
areas where others find it very difficult to display their intelligence and talent. Continue to read Bodily
Kinesthetic Learning Style - Teaching Physically Active Learners

Bodily-Kinesthetic Celebrity Profiles

by FamilyEducation Staff
Here's a list of artists, atheletes, and actors whose physical intelligence propelled them into the
limelight. They also happened to live with a disability. Their unique combination of intelligences --
strengths as well as weaknesses -- made them such successful people.
Auguste Rodin
French sculptor. His most famous work is The Thinker. He had a learning disability.
Admiral Peary
American arctic explorer and naval officer. He had a communicative disorder.
Vaslav Nijinsky
Russian ballet dancer and choreographer. He was mentally ill.
Tom Cruise
Hollywood super-star. He's severly dyslexic, but he's able to memorize lines.
Jim Abbott
American baseball player (pitcher). He was born without a right hand.
Marlee Matlin
Film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for her role in Children of a Lesser God. She is
hearing impaired.
What do your kids think?
Ask your kids if they can think of any famous people who have high bodily/kinesthetic intelligence.
Start them off with a few familiar names:
Jim Carrey

Mia Hamm

Gabrielle Reece

Serena and Venus Williams

Michael Jordan

Jon Moseley

Tiger Woods
Brought to you by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASC
Source: Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom by Thomas Armstrong (ASCD 1994)

Definition: Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence is the capacity to use one's hands or body skillfully.

Usually found in: athletes, sports stars, actors, dancers, inventors, surgeons, outdoor workers,
craftsmen, builders, mechanics, race car drivers, mime artists, martial artists

Famous examples: Tiger Woods (golf), David Beckham (soccer), Bruce Lee (martial arts), Michael
Jordan (basketball)