DANCING THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Part 1: A Greeting Dance
Hello EC Community,
As a way to further my passion for offering many different dance opportunities to children, this blog entry begins a series of activities based on the daily routine of young children. They are easy and ready to use!
Children start the day moving from the moment they open their eyes. Offering a lively activity to children at the beginning of the classroom day is a wonderful way to channel their energy in a positive way. Try this greeting activity as is, then make up and add your own variations.
Let's Wave!
Step to the other side and wave with your toe!
Step to the front and wave your elbows up high,
Step to the back and wave with your thigh!
Now stand in place and wave with your knee,
Wave to yourself, then wave to me!
Jump and hop and twist and bop,
Wave everything . . . 'til I say stop!
In the last stanza, with the words "Wave everything," encourage the children to wave many body parts all at once. Repeat the whole activity several times in a row.
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| Step to the front and wave your elbows up high! |
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| Jump and hop and twist and bop, Wave everything . . . 'til I say stop! |
Tips for expanding the activity:
*Tap along with the beat using a drum or tambourine
*Play an instrumental musical selection with a steady beat, and try this activity to music
*Ask the children to do a free dance to the music, using the ideas in the activity as well as new ones: What else can you wave? Your heel? Your head? Your hip? Your torso? Your ear? Your eyelids?
*Use the side to side movement in the first stanza to introduce the concept of right and left by changing the words slightly in the first stanza, as in this example:
Step to the right and wave your hands down low,
Step to the left side and wave with your toe!
Next up in the DANCING THROUGHOUT THE DAY series:
Part 2: A Circle Time Dance Activity
Keep on Dancin',
Connie
Copyright 2012, Connie Bergstein Dow
This sounds like a great way to warm up to the day.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is exactly right -- a fun way to use some of that early morning squirmy energy!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE creative movement activities like this ... looks like lots of fun! I pinned your post to my Kids' Creative Movement Activities Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/kids-creative-movement-activities/
ReplyDeleteThanks once again, Deb!
DeleteI really enjoyed this post, Connie - I'm in the same ballpark with you about movement and kids! However, when I tried to access part 2, it said it was unavailable. Has it not been posted yet?
ReplyDeleteCarole Peterson Stephens
Hello Miss Carole,
DeleteMy posts are scheduled for the 22nd of each month. I have now posted Parts 1-5 in the Dancing Throughout the Day series. Thank you for your interest and your comment!
Your movement activities are something I'm going to suggest to my sister for her special ed. students. I agree with those who say it's a great way to start the day.
ReplyDelete