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Toddler Dance Party

Page history last edited by Jane McManus 9 years, 10 months ago

Libraries are more than books. Some kids need a little direction to get the creative juices flowing. The following was gleaned from PUBYAC. If you're a member, check out the archives for 11-23 and 12-10-2009. Please add YOUR comments. Your colleagues would appreciate hearing what works, and what didn't!


see also: Dances for Storytime;

*Notes on a Toddler Dance Party, Margaret Paige

 

KEEP IN MIND:

1) Don't throw in too much new material. Familiar is good and sometimes simple is better.

2) "Jumping and Counting" was a huge one. The kids tend to like the Freeze songs where you dance and freeze, dance and freeze (rinse and repeat)

3) Test your equipment beforehand!!! Even if you're sure it's fine.

 

INVITATIONS:

  • Ages 2-5 years

 

REFRESHMENTS:

  • Pretzel Sticks
  • Goldfish Crackers
  • Animal Crackers
  • Lemonade/Punch (see RECIPES FOR STORYTIME--Swamp Juice)

 

FAVORS/CRAFTS:

  • Make egg shakers (if you have space, time and volunteers)
  • Dinosaur feet - sign for decorating, markers or crayons. Tell the kids to put their dino feet on and march with the music.  

 

GAMES/ACTIVITIES/(set up various tables as stations):

  • Beach Balls
  • Scarves
  • Shakers
  • Ribbon Wands--use with care
  • Balloon Drop--be mindful of latex allergies
  • Microphones
  • Misc. Music Makers
  • Bubble Machines--two is better than one!

 

PROGRAM:

  • Have plenty of coloring pages while children are awaiting the DJ/music
  • After children have assembled, dance
  • While toddlers love to dance, they do not have the ability to move together in a circle or line or do any of the organizational-type things that a group dance requires.  They are much more comfortable doing individual dancing.

  • If the kids too riled up by a fast song, play something slow to cool them down.

  • Have little stations set up where the children could move in different ways. 

    • Move Like the Animals : station with the name and picture of different animals on the walls and the dancers have to move like the animal would. 

    • Bean Bag Toss: Kids toss them into a big circle/hula hoop on the floor

    • Jumping High: Make marking on the wall with poster-board and ask the kids to see how high they can jump. 

    • Shakers: Have a sign that says "try to shake to the rhythm of the music."

  • Have refreshments

 

TIME:

  • About an hour-and-a-half should be sufficient

 

Comments (1)

Jane McManus said

at 7:37 pm on May 22, 2014

Margaret, I added your link to the top of the page. You did well. Thanks for sharing.

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