6 Ways to Incorporate Dance into Your Preschooler's Life

Music has gained scientific recognition for the benefit it brings to developing minds. Through singing and dancing, toddlers aren’t just having a good time—they’re practicing their motor skills, developing language ability, and crafting social and emotional bonds that will last throughout their lives.

Teaching your child to dance at a young age will help them express joy through physical movement and help them overcome shyness on the dance floor in future years. Seeing dance as a natural response to music and rhythm can enrich their social lives and prevent self-consciousness as adults, too.

So how can parents get their toddler dancing? Here we’ll look at some of the best ways to help your toddler learn to move.

Dance Together. One of the best ways to teach a child to dance is through your own example. Young children learn to imitate the behavior of their parents, so seeing parents cut loose can help teach your toddler that dance is a fun, natural response to a great song. When a song is playing, bounce your child up and down in time with the beat.

Learn Structured Dances. Structured dances are an important part of our cultural development and physical development. Simple songs with corresponding dances (like “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” or “YMCA”) help develop coordinated motor skills. They also provide a great starting point for young children who struggle with rhythm or shyness.

Make Up Dances to Everyday Activities. Making up a “brushing teeth” dance or a “getting ready for school” dance is a fun way to allow your child to exercise their musical creativity. It also will help children follow instructions, turning activities they don’t like into to something memorable and enjoyable.

Play Musical Chairs. Musical chairs isn’t dancing per se, but it does help coordinate movement with music. Associating music with play is also a method used to keep children engaged with more complicated musical activities later in life—like learning an instrument or dancing.

Make Up Dances. If your toddler has a favorite song, use this opportunity to make up some dance moves to accompany the lyrics together. This is another chance for kids to be creative—while learning language. It will also teach them not to be afraid of being silly!

Enroll Them in a Toddler Dance Class. Gallery of Dance in Freehold, NJ, offers dance instructions for beginning dancers of all ages—including toddlers! Let us teach your child the fundamentals of rhythm, music, and movement, fostering a lifelong love of joyful expression through dance.