Incorporating dance into preschool music lessons

Dancing in preschool music lessons is a wonderful way to enhance children’s learning and development. We do dancing activities for 10-15mins almost every music lesson and kids love it.

Dancing helps improve coordination, balance, and gross motor skills. Learning dance steps and routines enhances memory and pattern recognition. Dance provides a way for children to express their emotions and creativity. Group dances promote teamwork, cooperation, and social interaction. Exposure to various dance styles introduce children to different cultures and traditions.

The activities we usually do are the following:

Free Dance: Playing different types of music and children can move freely to express how the music makes them feel.

Action Songs: Using songs with specific actions (e.g., “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”) to combine singing and dancing.

Movement Games: Doing games like “Freeze Dance” where children dance when the music plays and freeze when it stops, which helps with listening skills and self-control.

We use a variety of music. Exposing children to different genres and tempos broadening their musical and dance experiences. Keeping it simple, we use simple, repetitive movements that are easy for smallg children to follow. I encourage repeatedly all children to join, regardless of ability, that they can participate and enjoy the activities. Also I encourage children to improvise and create their own dance moves, fostering creativity and confidence. Music room is a safe environment with enough space for dancing, spacious room to move around and no obstacles. Kids get tired quickly, so I include short breaks to prevent children from getting too tired and to keep the energy levels manageable. Usually Preschool and Year 1 have music lessons before lunch, so after they go to lunch, have a break and the youngest ones a nap after lunch break.