Gotta dance! Dancing is something that the whole body loves. Moving to music connects all four domains: cognitive, social & emotional, language and physical areas. The toddlers’ brain is the manager of the whole process, translating the sounds and sending messages throughout the body to produce the physical actions and connections to other sensations felt during a dance.
A toddler will naturally enjoy moving in their own way to different types of music. Style, tempo, rhythm all play an important role and contribute to their physical interpretations. It’s a way for them to express themselves to the beat of the musical sounds. Their musical reactions may appear in a variety of ways: clapping, tapping, bouncing, jumping, twirling, swaying, stomping, shaking, bopping and rocking.
A beginning dancer may only have a “few moves”, after lots of practice and viewing others their unique dance skills will increase—watch them go!
There are many physical benefits to a toddler becoming involved with musical sounds through dance, here are some key ones:
Key Physical Benefits of Dance
*Coordination: improves ability for body parts to work together smoothly
*Flexibility: boosts range of motion for muscles and joints
*Balance: assists to maintain positions and steadiness still or moving
*Body Awareness: posture, position of body and its relationship to surrounding space
*Healthy Body: assists with heart rate, improves blood circulation & pressure
*Muscle Building: develops fine & gross motor skills, strengthens bone growth
Expressive Movement—”Put on Your Dancing Shoes”
Dancing is beneficial for toddlers no matter what way or where it’s done. Their physical body is building strength, while gaining confidence as they express themselves. Toddler dancing may occur in these ways.
Individual
*Toddler creates their own movements (free style) or performs a known dance
Partner Dance-Parent & Toddler
*Both use their own individual movements (free style)
*Follow the leader activities (parent does-toddler does)
*Both do movements together as determined by words in a song
*Hand holding with a parent who leads them in free style dance steps or together doing traditional dance moves
Group : Multiple People & Toddler
*Dance classes: There are some dance studios that do accept toddlers. A parents’ decision is all about if their toddler is ready for a teacher-student in class situation. Whole group or individual lessons offer new dance experiences outside the home. There are different types of instruction which may be offered: creative movement, ballet and tap are popular choices. These classes might be called “tiny twos” or “little movers”. Joint dance performances may be presented for a small or large audience at a recital. Just know not all toddlers are ready to be involved with dance instruction, it might happen at the later age of three and a half, four, five OR not at all.
*Home Parent Groups: Parents form a dance group and gather together with their toddlers for a dance session—a true house party. Parents will need to have agreed upon some general guidelines: rotation of homes, toddler behavior, musical selections & dances, food, time frame (weekly/monthly— minutes) etc. Sometimes props are added to extend the dance movements: a parachute, scarfs, streamers, ribbons all may be used depending on age of children.
*Family & Community Groups: Siblings & friends dancing together with their children at special events, such as, festivals, concerts, weddings/birthdays etc. are beneficial for all involved. A variety of ways may emerge allowing for self-expression when dancing. This is not only fun for a toddler but helps in creating a shared experience that bonds them with others. The formation of dance groups are unlimited! A toddler dancing about with one’s family at home or out in the community brings joy to everyone involved—Party On!
Dance to Familiar Children’s Songs
Hokey Pokey is a fabulous song that involves body movements, singing, learning body parts and other vocabulary words. It was designed originally to be done as a circle dance, where children are standing forming a round circle facing each other. This leads one to put named body parts forward-into the circle and back to the beginning position. When doing this at home with the two people or smaller numbers of participants—it would look more like a line dance.
Parent says words and does the modeling with toddler—First do BODY PARTS
Say & Do
–point to your foot and bring it up & shake outwards, point to your other foot and bring it up and shake it outwards
–point to your arm and bring it outwards & shake it, point to your other arm and bring it outwards & shake it
–point to your head and tip it forward & backward, repeat
–point to your body make it jump forward and backward, repeat
Next—Hokey Pokey steps-easy way
Say & Do
–both arms go up & down as one is turning self around (could also add wiggles as one is turning around)
–Additional moves—when saying “That’s what it’s all about!”
with both hands tap top of legs twice and follow it by clapping hands
NOTE: The whole song is shown below. Also, a link to a video is found in the resources and references section.
Right side or left side –what’s this all about?
They do not know their left from their right sides which is age appropriate, just go with the flow. In the beginning—a toddler needs a big SHOUT OUT and applause for just getting correct body part up and shaking it all about– on cue with the words. Just relax and enjoy the dancing movements of all the body parts to the beat of this active tune. Wiggles, jiggles and giggles galore!
Later, a marker could be put on their right foot (a sticker or a dot) and tell them that it is the first foot used, do the same for their arm—(another sticker or dot on right arm) and tell them the one with sticker goes first. The vocabulary words being practiced are –first and last–labeling with a dot/sticker provides support.
No need to worry–after the age of three the “right & left” concepts will start to be understood. However, their usage of the words “right & left” remain inconsistent until age five or even a bit later.
Hokey Pokey
1 You put your right foot in, You put your right foot out
You put your right foot in, And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!
2 You put your left foot in, You put your left foot out
You put your left foot in, And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!
3 You put your right arm in, You put your right arm out
You put your right arm in, And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!
4 You put your left arm in, You put your left arm out
You put your left arm in, And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!
5 You put your head in, You put your head out
You put your head in, And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!
6 You put your body in, You put your body out
You put your right body in, And you shake it all about
You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around
That’s what it’s all about!
7 You do the Hokey Pokey, You do the Hokey Pokey
You do the Hokey Pokey
That’s what it’s all about!
NOTE: Resources and References lists a video that is available to watch and do with your toddler.
Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
And eyes, and ears, and mouth, and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Movements:
Say the words as one touches that body part
First time sing verses and do actions slowly
Second and Third time keep doing each one faster.
Try a fourth!
If You’re Happy and You Know It
1 If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands
If you’re happy and you know it, Then your face will surely show it
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands
2 If you’re happy and you know it, stomp your feet
3 If you’re happy and you know it, shout hurray (hurray)
4 If you’re happy and you know it, do all three (clap clap, stomp stomp, hurray)
Movements:
Verse 1 clap clap (twice clap hands together)
Verse 2 stomp stomp (stomp one foot and then the other)
Verse 3 shout hurray (loudly say HURRAY)
Verse 4 first–clap clap second– stomp stomp third– SHOUT hurray
NOTE: Full verses and more details may be found in download. Resources and References lists videos that are available to watch and do with your toddler.
The Dancing Brain
Scientific researchers stated in their paper titled, The Neuroscience of Dance: A Conceptual Framework and Systematic Review, stated that “Dance and music engage overlapping brain networks including common regions involved in perception, action, and emotion. In music and dance, rhythm, melody, and harmony are processed in an active, sustained pleasure cycle giving rise to action, emotion, and learning, led by activity in specific hedonic brain networks. ” Toddler brains are learning when exposed to music through listening to the sounds and watching the dancers ; however, “the doing of” the physical movements will set off an explosion in their brain that impacts neurons, thereby, causing neuroplasticity or making connections with the other three domain areas: cognitive, social/emotional and language learning. This may be called a “whole-brain workout” since it stimulates and improves the learning brain: memory, focus, problem-solving, sensory processing, language development, social interactions and MORE! Gotta dance!
Toddlers are learning all about their growing body. Dance is a wonderful way to support and enhance their continual development. Music movement is fun, supports their learning brain while creating expressive dance moves. Or even better a way to say it is—- Dance with your heart and your feet will follow.”
Happy days to you,
Kylene
“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way”
Wayne Dyer, Author
Resources & References
Cirelli, Laura K., Wan, Stephanie J., Trainor, Laurel J., (2014), Fourteen-month-old infants use interpersonal synchrony as a cue to direct helpfulness, National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4240967/
CoComlon, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes https://youtu.be/QA48wTGbU7A?si=74jO9s-KJBiW_wTC2018 (Cartoon style)
Kaiser, April, The Importance of Music and Movement, Child Development and Family Center, Northern Illinois University, https://www.chhs.niu.edu/child-center/resources/articles/music-and-movement.shtml#
Miss Jessica’s World, (2020), The Hokey Pokey, Sing-a-long, https://youtu.be/U2nKD-yzDhc?si=qssFPxVNxMCl1STk
Super Simple Songs, Kids Songs, (2019), If You’re Happy And You Know It, https://youtu.be/M6LoRZsHMSs?si=cgYgy1SZ3rNI0cUq
UCLA Health, (2008), Dance movement Therapy at Mattel Children’s UCLA, Hospital, https://youtu.be/O4KkQkv3vKk?si=uYi-VT27-GTJMMbE
Vander Elst, Olivia Foster, Nicholas H.D. Foster, Vuust, Peter, Keller, Peter E., Kringelback, Morten L., (2023), The Neuroscience of Dance: A Conceptual Framework and Systematic Review, Science Direct, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763423001665#:~:text=Dance