Dancing is a great way to prepare the brain for learning. Children not only engage in physical benefits but also develop spatial awareness and improve flexibility by dancing. Furthermore, dancing improves communication and creativity in children. Whether you are teaching a dance program or just planning a silly dance for kids, you can incorporate these activities into your daily classroom routine.
1. Dance Off
The dance-off is similar to many popular freeze dance games. You will need to select a few age-appropriate songs for children and then just encourage them to dance and have fun. When the music stops, they will freeze as they are.
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2. Mirror Game
This is an exciting dance game in which dancers will mirror one another’s movements. The teacher can guide the lead dancer to do specific movements such as a tree being blown by the wind.
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3. Freestyle Dancing Competition
A freestyle dance competition is one of the most fun dance games for kids! Children can show off their fantastic dance moves and you can give prizes to the most creative dancers or allow others to vote.
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4. Pass the Dance Move
Let’s see those crazy dance moves! Children will focus on specific dance steps and must remember them well enough to repeat them. The first student will start with a dance move, the second student will repeat the move and add a new one, and so forth.
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5. Retelling Dance
Retelling dance is a fun game for children to retell a story using dance. They will have the opportunity for creative expression as well. Children will act out a story in the form of dancing.
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6. Create a Fun Dance
Would your students be interested in creating a classroom dance routine? This is a great idea for team bonding and exercise. Everyone can combine their talents to create a simple dance that everyone can do.
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7. Newspaper Dance
First, you will hand out a piece of newspaper to each student. When the music starts, students will need to dance; making sure they stay on their newspaper. Every time the music stops, they must fold the sheet in half.
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8. Dance Hats
Dance hats can be used as a party game for kids. You will start by having children pass around a couple of hats. When the music stops, the child with the “chosen” hat on their head wins a prize!
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9. Musical Hula Hoops
Kick things off by playing music and encouraging kids to dance. Pause the music and have the kids sit down inside an empty hoop. You can remove a hoop each round to increase the level of challenge.
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10. Animal Bodies
This kid’s dance game allows students to reenact the movement of animals. Students will select an animal character out of a variety of animals. You can incorporate animal masks or face paint as a part of this activity. Students can guess which animal they are pretending to be.
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11. The Human Alphabet
Dancing games are not only fun but a great way to express creativity and learn new concepts. You can introduce the alphabet to your children by incorporating this human alphabet activity. This will get children moving while they form the letters of the alphabet with their bodies.
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12. Dance with Claps
You don’t have to have a fancy dance style to clap or stomp along to a good beat. You can enjoy this activity in the classroom or incorporate it into a dance party game at home. Play various styles of music and have children clap or stomp along.
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13. Emoji Dance (Emotions Dance Game)
Emoji-style dance is heaps of fun for little ones. You can create your own emoji flashcards that have pictures of emojis or even use people to make different expressions. Explore emotions from excitement and anger to surprise or sadness. Children will match their dance moves with the emoji expression.
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14. Square Dance for Children
Square dancing is effective for learning team-building skills. Students will dance with a partner following specific instructions in which they have to work together. Once they have the basic steps down, they will have a fun time dancing to songs with friends.
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15. Shuffle, Shuffle, Group
Children can show off their funky dance moves with this fun dance game. Students will dance around the classroom until the teacher calls out, “Group of 5!” Students will group themselves into the correct number of people. Students left without a group will be out.
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16. The Bean Game
You don’t need a cool dance floor to play the bean game! This is a fun way to incorporate physical activity while playing fun games for kids. Students will begin by moving about the room until they hear the “bean call”. They will then make the shape of each bean.
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17. Chicken Dance
The chicken dance is a traditional activity that is sure to cause a few laughs. Your students will have fun showing off creative dance moves. Wings will be formed by bending elbows and tucking the hands under the arms and then wiggling around like a chick.
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18. Patty Cake Polka
The Patty Cake Polka includes dance moves such as tapping heels and toes, side sliding, tapping hands, and moving in circles. This dance activity requires children to partner up and is great for team building and physical exercise.
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