It’s dance party time for all you readers out there. Sometimes it’s great to just get together and break down some moves on the dance floor. The key to this activity is keeping things fun and lighthearted. If you want, you can go all out and have decorations and costumes, often times it’s fun if the party is kept on the silly side, perhaps with wild and crazy props and costume pieces. But that’s up to you. It works just as well if things are kept simple, even if it’s just a short random (unplanned) burst that lasts only 10 minutes.
All you need is some age-appropriate music and space to move. You can either create your own playlist of music, or you can use an internet website such as Pandora that has pre-selected songs for different age groups. If you’re creating your own playlist, take into consideration what songs are popular right now, especially for older participants. Preschool and young school age participants will care less about what’s in, so you can use songs from artists like Raffi, Joe Scruggs, Ella Jenkin, and Sharon, Lois and Bram. What’s great about these artists is they do songs that have directions in them, so you can let the kids play the games in the songs or do the hand motions. This also works best with participants who are around the same age. The best advice I can give with this one is keep it simple, especially the first couple of times you try it. Let me know how it works out!!!
Dance Party Activity Notes
Age Group: 4 and up
Materials needed: music player, music, and space to move
Therapeutic Value:
Promote normalization
Increase coping techniques
Encourage expression of emotions
Build legacy
Encourage physical movement
A Little Playfullness 