Spring break is just around the corner, and while many families opt for spring break camps, not everyone is planning to send their littles away. If you’re spending spring break at home with your 3-7-year-olds and searching for ways to keep them entertained (and maintain your sanity), we’ve got you covered!
Try these easy, at-home dance lessons that will not only engage your kids but also add some fun movement to their daily routine. Let’s turn your living room into a mini dance studio with this spring-themed dance lesson plan!
At-Home Dance Lesson Plan for Littles (Ages 3-7)
Objective:
Introduce young children to dance through fun and engaging activities that develop coordination, rhythm, and creativity. This lesson plan is simple enough for parents to follow at home, requiring minimal equipment and space.
Warm-Up (5-7 minutes)
Objective: Prepare the body for movement and set the tone for the session.
Activities:
- Freeze Dance Warm-Up: Play upbeat music and pause it occasionally. When the music stops, the child freezes in a silly pose.
- Animal Stretches:
- Butterfly Stretch: Sit with feet together and flap your “wings.”
- Cat-Cow Stretch: On hands and knees, arch and round the back.
- Giraffe Reach: Stretch arms high, pretending to eat leaves from a tree.
- March in Place: Lift knees high and swing arms to get the heart rate up.
Suggested Songs for Warm-Up:
- “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake
- “Shake Your Sillies Out” – The Learning Station
- “Happy” – Pharrell Williams
- “Freeze Dance” – The Kiboomu Kids
Rhythm & Coordination (5-10 minutes)
Objective: Teach basic rhythm and develop motor skills.
Activities:
- Clap and Stomp Patterns: Clap or stomp simple rhythms for your child to copy (e.g., clap-clap-pause-stomp).
- Follow the Beat: Use a drum, pot, or spoon to create a beat. Let your child dance fast or slow to match the rhythm.
- Props Activity: Use scarves, ribbons, or small towels to toss, twirl, and move to music.
Suggested Songs for Rhythm & Coordination:
- “We Got the Beat” – The Go-Go’s
- “Boom Chicka Boom” – The Learning Station
- “I Like to Move It” – will.i.am
- “Bunny Hop” – Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Basic Dance Movements (10-12 minutes)
Objective: Introduce simple dance steps and encourage creativity.
Activities:
- Ballet Basics:
- First Position: Heels together, toes turned out.
- Plies: Small knee bends.
- Tendus: Point toes while sliding one foot out.
- Jazz Moves:
- Step-Touch with Jazz Hands: Step side to side while shaking hands in the air.
- Chasse: A “step-together-step” galloping motion.
- Creative Movement Prompts:
- “Move like the wind.”
- “Walk like a tightrope walker.”
- “Jump like a frog.”
Suggested Songs for Basic Dance Movements:
- “Twist and Shout” – The Beatles
- “Walking on Sunshine” – Katrina and the Waves
- “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” – Mary Poppins Soundtrack
- “Under the Sea” – The Little Mermaid Soundtrack
Creative Expression (8-10 minutes)
Objective: Encourage imagination and storytelling through dance.
Activities:
- Storytelling Dance:
- Pretend to plant a garden, water the flowers, and watch them grow. End by dancing as butterflies.
- Dance with Props:
- Use a scarf or ribbon to “paint” shapes in the air, imagining spring flowers or rainbows.
Suggested Songs for Creative Expression:
- “A Thousand Years (Lullaby)” – Christina Perri (Instrumental)
- “Flight of the Bumblebee” – Rimsky-Korsakov
- “Rainbow Connection” – Kermit the Frog
- “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” – Randy Newman (Toy Story)
Cool-Down (5-7 minutes)
Objective: Calm the body and stretch muscles.
Activities:
- Flower Breaths: Pretend to smell a flower by taking deep breaths in through the nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth.
- Gentle Stretches:
- Seated Forward Fold: Reach for toes while sitting.
- Side Stretch: Reach one arm over to the side while sitting.
- Hug Pose: Curl into a ball and gently rock side to side.
Suggested Songs for Cool-Down:
- “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
- “What a Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong
- “Skidamarink” – The Kiboomu Kids
- “Spring” – Antonio Vivaldi
Bonus Activities
- Spring Freeze Dance Game: Add spring-themed poses (e.g., tree, flower, bunny) to freeze dance.
- Craft Time: Decorate scarves or ribbon wands to use during the lesson.
- Music Exploration: Listen to spring-themed music, such as The Four Seasons: Spring by Vivaldi.
Make Spring Break Fun and Active!
By incorporating dance into your spring break routine, you’ll keep your littles entertained while helping them develop coordination and creativity. Plus, dancing together is a great way to bond and make memories. Ready to try it? Start with the warm-up and let the fun begin!
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