Mommy and me dance classes! They’re so hard and so simple. I am always nervous because the moms are in the room. But, those 18 month old dancers are the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!!! Here are some ideas for a safari theme mommy and me class. My mommy and me classes always LOVE animal days.
First we’ll gather in a circle and do a movement rhyme I got from Anne Greene Gilbert’s book Creative Dance for All Ages.
Bounce, bounce, bounce like a ball.
Put your back and your arms and your neck up tall!
Hands in your lap. Look back at the wall.
Balance on your seat! And fall, fall, fall.
Next, we do follow the leader around the room, taking turns being the leader.
Then, we’ll move into our safari theme! I love to hide the pieces of this puzzle around the room. Then, students will take turns finding the pieces. We do a dance activity for each puzzle piece (listed below). If your students can’t take turns, sometimes I’ll have everyone grab a puzzle piece at once and we’ll put together the whole puzzle first. Other times, I’ll keep the puzzle pieces in my bag and let one student at a time grab a piece out of the bag and put it in the puzzle. Grab your own puzzle here!
Zebra: Zebras are a type of horse. They love to gallop! Let’s go galloping throughout the room. Can you gallop with knees up high? Can you gallop with straight legs (i.e. chasse)?
Hippo: Hippos like to hide under the water and open their mouths wide. Then they snatch up a fish for lunch! Can you sneak down low under the water when the music starts? Be super sneaky and slow! When the music stops, FREEZE!
Elephant: What does an elephant say? That’s right! Elephants are pretty noisy. Everybody grab a shaker (maracas), and let’s do a parade! (Follow the leader in a parade. Switch leaders and instruments if you have different kinds). This is what we use for instruments. But, I’ve also used dollar store maracas with great success!
Rhino: Rhinos point their horns forward and CHARGE! at their prey. Can you run as fast as you can when I say CHARGE!? Place moms on one side of the room and kids on the other side. When you say CHARGE!, kids run as fast as they can to their moms!
Alligators: Alligators open their mouths so wide, then SNAP! them shut! Can you open your legs wide (to 2nd position)? Then, SNAP! them shut (jump up and legs snap together). Try this jump (also known as an echappe) several times.
Lion: Lions love to hunt at night, when you’re asleep! Let’s do one of our night time songs! Both of these songs have times when you “go to sleep” then wake up, and do a dance! Check out the details at Late Last Night and The Goldfish Song.
Ostrich: Ostriches bury their heads in the sand! Let’s bury our heads in the sand too! Sit in butterfly (soles of feet “glued” together, knees out wide) and stretch your head down to your toes. This is also a great opportunity to go through your usual stretching sequence.
Giraffe: Giraffes are super duper tall! How tall can you be? Can you tip-toe walk all around the room? Can you tip-toe walk down the balance beam?
Then we read this book:
Eric Carle’s book From Head to Toe is so great for young children! Just go through and do what the book says! For example, “I am a penguin and I turn my head. Can you do it?” Everyone turns their heads side to side.
We usually end class with a tumbling segment. Moms help their kids to do forward and backward rolls on wedge mats, jump off a tall mat, do star jumps off the springboard or trampoline, walk down the balance beam, crawl through a tunnel, and climb over other mat obstacles.
If your students need a break from dancing or a treat to bring home, grab these coloring sheets!
Hope you enjoy!
