Music, movement and dance were the order of the day for more than 100 children and their teachers yesterday.

The Marriott Castle Harbour's Harbour Room was temporarily transformed into a "Kinderpound'' as John (Kinderman) Taylor shared his interactive learning secrets with an energetic audience.

Armed with a slew of props -- hand-held puppets, posters and a Yamaha keyboard -- Taylor plied his trade through song.

The children were encouraged to identify body parts and colours and even learned how to communicate in Spanish and sign language.

Seven-year-old Nhoj Steede overcame a series of technical glitches -- the cassette tape that had the music to accompany his selection was miscued -- to perform a rousing rendition of the song "I am a promise''.

His tiny tenor voice was an immediate hit with both his peers and the parents and teachers gathered in the room.

And by the time the Kinderman hit the scene with his red bowler hat and matching suspenders, his appreciative audience were primed and ready to share in the delights.

In no time, Kinderman converted the room into a juvenile Eden where the children acted out his commands gleefully, all to the rhythm of the keyboard.

Whether it was using their fingers to spell each letter of the alphabet or learning the popular Macarena dance, the children were initiated into the enjoyment of Kindercise or learning through movement.

Mr. Taylor, who is based in Columbia, Maryland, created Kindercise 15 years ago after he returned to graduate school after 18 years as a primary and middle school art teacher.

As he pursued a Master's degree in dance therapy, he discovered another level of imparting information to children between the ages of three and 12.

After a stint teaching both dance and aerobics, he returned to the classroom but with a new image and a different name -- Kinderman.

"I realise that children like to identify themselves with heroes and I conceived of Kinderman, Kindercise and Kinderland for this purpose,'' he explained. "Children can identify with them and teachers can use music, drama and dance to build self esteem and get away from the standard way of teaching young children.

"Subjects like history and the alphabet can be taught using the medium of rhyme and rap. It is a more up-to-date way of doing things.'' On Tuesday and Wednesday Mr. Taylor gave two workshops for teachers involved in both private and public preschools.

He was a guest of the Ministry of Education's early childhood department and an organisation called Parents And Children Together (PACT).