Do you have a little one at home who starts moving as soon as you switch on the radio or the television? If your answers is yes, then you ought to know that your toddler has a dancer hidden within him/her. As a parent it is your responsibility to discover this artistic side of your little angel, and encourage his or her talent. Best is to put your child into a dance class.
Dance classes are motivating and fun for little ones. They are also great platforms for creative expression, and for encouraging children to make up their own movements to help improve body awareness.
We, at dance schools have so many children coming to us and we use various ways to make them enjoy and learn at the same time. So, if you do not have the time to take the child for a dance class, then best is to do it at home.
Dance and props
An encouraging way to engage children in a dance activity is to use props. For example, giving children hand drums while asking them to march to a beat is more motivating than simply marching. Using other props like wrist ribbons, bean bags, scarves and shakers are also inspiring for children.
Freeze dance
The freeze dance encourages listening and the ability to control impulses. During this activity, ask toddlers to listen to music, and when the music stops, they must all freeze wherever they are. When the music starts again, they can begin dancing again. Ask toddlers to follow a leader around in a circle or allow them to move around the room freely.
Imitation
Many dances involve following a leader or even imitating animals. Children love to move and act like different animals, and this activity is a great way to teach children about different animals and the sounds and movements they make.
Considerations
Dance classes should contain dances with simple instructions, and the movements should typically have a purpose. Move-ments that are taught should be ones that children can use daily, like hopping, galloping, marching, tiptoeing and walking backwards. Using opposite words like high and low, forward and backward, and slow and fast are also ideal because they give simple directions. Also, keep in mind the age group of the child and what motor skills they have already acquired and what movements they are capable of doing.
How to introduce a toddler to dance?
Toddlers love dressing up and dancing. Toddlers love to dance, particularly when they can enjoy it with their parents. Introduce them to dancing while they are young, so they can learn to move their body. Never rush or push toddlers when introducing them to dance. They may refuse to participate.
Teach your toddler easy dance songs like the Hokey Pokey or other songs with dance actions. Dance with your child. Make dancing time a daily event if you can, so your child learns to look forward to it and enjoy it.
Advance away from toddler songs by playing music in different genres and dancing together. Show him some fun freestyle moves that are easy to do and praise him when he dances on his own.
Enroll your child in dance classes designed for their age group. Look for classes that have small groups, only allow children in the same age group, and break up the class into many activities. Some classes offer dress-up and dance or have themes like fairy dance. Others may do some crafts or use puppets and dolls for the children to dance with. The least, we as parents can do is to show our child different styles of dances by playing dan-ce DVDs, youtube videos etc. Look for children-friendly theatre shows. The biggest mistake we as parents make is to take the toddler to see Bollywood films, and when our child develops the filmy expressions, we start complaining. The best is to make them see live dancers perform.
Remember dance is a wonderful medium through, which a child can learn a lot about culture, tradition, manners, understand his or her own body, get dedicated, sharpen their memory, enjoy, have fun and most importantly learn to appreciate art, which he/she will treasure for life.