Find some space
The first thing to think about is finding space. Toddlers and young children don’t have the same control as we do when they dance and might be a bit more likely to crash into the things around them, or lose their balance as they boogie.
Find somewhere with plenty of space for them to move, and nothing they could hurt themselves on if they do crash into it (and stay well away from anything fragile).
Pick your music (or make your own)
Once you’ve found a space, think about how you’ll make your music. If you’ve opted for outside, you could use boxes with lids and spoons as drums and dance to a rhythm.
If you have a speaker, make a play list of some child-friendly tunes – this doesn't need to be nursery rhymes but you might want to check you’re happy for your child to hear whatever is on there (and maybe repeat the lyrics).
If you’re dancing each week, why not choose a different genre each time?
Find (or make) some props
Ribbons, streamers and fabric
You don’t need anything to enjoy dancing and making music together, but if you want to you could find some ribbon or light fabric to hold and as you dance and spin.
Plastic bottle shakers
If you have some plastic bottles in your recycling, decorate those together and fill them with pasta to make a shaker. Your older child could make one for a younger sibling – make sure the lids are firmly attached and that playing with these is closely supervised.
Pots, pans, and boxes
The simplest way to make an instrument is just to find a pan and spoon and tap out a beat. If that sound is too much for you, make a drum with a cardboard box instead, then your child could decorate the box before you start making music.
Once you have space, music and any props you’re using, now it’s time to dance! Music and dancing can be very exciting for some children, so plan a bit of a sequence for music time.
Start with a simple, favourite song - if you go to a dance or music group use the starting song or activity that they do.
Then dance, if you can dance with your child that will give them some ideas to follow – you could have a go at copying a dance from YouTube or TikTok or just make one up as you go along!
Use your homemade instruments to keep a beat as you dance, and if you have some ribbons or pieces of fabric twirl and spin together.
If you’re outside, see if you can use anything around you as an instrument, for example a stick on a fence or a log could provide a beat?
If you have younger and older children together, encourage the older child by mentioning it when their younger sibling copies a move or smiles at their dancing.
When it’s time to finish, have a calming song or rhythm ready – this could be something that encourages your child to focus on their breathing or to have a big stretch to finish off.
We’ve given just a few ideas to get you started, check out all the activities in your child’s journey for play ideas that are just right for their skills. And look at our summer play kit for ideas of simple things for your child to play with at home.
If you’d like to catch up on our sensory ideas from last week – you can find that article here.