At the Wayuu semi-boarding school we support in La Guajira, in northern Colombia, the answer was a resounding yes.
Surrounded by a simple structure of sticks and clay, known as enramada or luma, boys and girls experienced a day of wonder through the activity “This Is How I Breathe!”—a session that turned the ordinary into amazement. They learned how their respiratory system works… and they did it by feeling it.
You probably know the song “Head, shoulders, knees and toes.” But did you know that singing, pointing, and learning about both the external and internal parts of the body help children develop key motor and perceptual skills?
Research shows that between the ages of 8 and 12, children go through a key stage: when they learn and understand their body, they also improve their coordination and motor skills. According to the Systematic Review of Body Awareness Interventions in Childhood (2022), conducted by Professor Si Nae Ahn, Ph.D., from Cheongju University in South Korea, body awareness activities in school-aged children are associated with improvements in perceptual-motor abilities and body coordination.
Did you know that strengthening body awareness in childhood improves coordination, balance, and self-confidence for life?
The House Project Colombia team arrived with a clear mission: teach with what you have—but do it with heart. Using paper, straws, and plastic bags, each child built their own model of lungs. As they blew into the straws, their lungs expanded. Science became visible. And learning became unforgettable.
Many of the children didn’t know how breathing worked. But in less than an hour, they discovered they have a trachea, bronchi, and a muscle called the diaphragm that keeps working even while they sleep. They realized that caring for their lungs and bodies is also a way of protecting their future and feeling more confident.
This kind of playful learning not only improves coordination—it also strengthens body awareness, which is the foundation of movement, physical health, and emotional security. When children learn the names of body parts, what they are for, and how they connect to one another, they understand themselves better, take better care of themselves, and feel safer.
At The House Project, we believe that real learning begins with a spark of wonder. That’s why our activities are designed to build strong foundations for the future. Breathing is also a right. Teaching a child about their body is a way of protecting them for life.
You can be part of this change too. Donate here.
Want to get involved in another way? Write to us: carolina@thehouse-project.org
Carolina Plata
Project Management
The House Project
#WhereTheLightIsAlwaysOn
#TheHouseProject #LosMontaner
