by Liz Arrington f we can thank the internet for anything, it’s cat videos and dancing babies! Nothing captures our hearts quite like a chubby little toddler gleefully jamming to a classic song. Parents send me videos all the time of their little ones dancing to their favorite songs, share with me about how they use family dance parties to relieve stress on long, hard days, ease anxiety in little ones, to help with transitions, or to get through difficult routines like cleaning up or getting dressed. Dancing is one of our basic human instincts, we are just born to move!
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Developmental Benefits of Dance With all that moving and shaking, it’s easy to forget that there is actually a LOT of learning taking place. In addition to helping build fine and gross motor skills, movement activities help support bilateral coordination (using both sides of the body) and spatial awareness (understanding the relationship between ourselves and objects around us). Recent advancements in brain research present some strong evidence that active music participation can help develop the areas in the brain involved with language, reading, and the processing of speech. This is especially true during early childhood, when the brain is already rapidly developing through experience.
Choosing Music to Listen to at Home The thing about music and dancing at home is, it has never been more accessible! As a child in the 80’s and 90’s I remember my dad gathering my younger brother and I around our family record player. He gingerly pulled out one shiny dark disc after another, encouraging the proper respect for classics from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s. We danced with abandon, yet we still knew not to stomp or jump too hard, or we risked the dreaded record skip that happened when the needle bounced. Now, my family gathers around Alexa- shouting song requests one after another. Our favorites range from decades in the past
to current pop hits and a very long obsession with the Blippi collection of truck songs. Providing a variety of songs, including music that your little ones love, is a great way to make family dance parties a well-rounded and collaborative experience. Sharing music that you love with your children is one of the great joys of parenting! Your kids might not always love your music as much as you do, especially as they get older and start forming their own tastes and identities. Above all- sharing a love for music enforces a lifelong disposition as a musical person. Family dance parties bring everyone together, allow your children to see a fun and relaxed side to their grownups, and eases stress and tension. There are a MILLION amazing songs to dance to with your little ones! Especially when they are very young, they will be thrilled just to be spending that time together with you. If you’re a parent who is looking for a few new songs to add to your collection, here is a list of songs that never fail to get toddlers, preschoolers, and grownups moving and laughing together. William Tell Overture (Main Theme) Don’t Stop Me Now - Queen Shout! - The Isley Brothers Jump! - Patty Shukla We are the Dinosaurs - Laurie Berkner Run Baby Run - Caspar Babypants Animal Freeze Dance - The Kiboomers Freeze Dance - The Kiboomers Twist and Shout - The Beatles Allee Galloo - Music Together Liz Arrington combines her background in working with children and families with her love of music, to provide early childhood music and movement classes to the families of Cypress. Online music classes also available. See more at www.songfulbeginnings.com. PinPointe Magazine
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