What do you tend to choose? An active movement song, a transitional movement song, or a cool down movement song?
"... there's more than one kind of movement song??!" YES!
As you might already know, movement songs are my jam! Movement songs can give children an opportunity to regulate their sensory systems and provide endless opportunities to engage them.
I categorize movement songs into three different types:
active movement songs,
transitional movement songs,
and cool down movement songs.
Choosing the *right* movement song is VITAL.
Why?
Some movement songs have the tendency to make kids get MORE amped up (OH NO.)
Some movement songs can help kids become more centered, more attentive, and ready to listen (OH YES.)
Some movement songs can help kids transition seamlessly to what you're doing next (OH THANK GOODNESS.)
If you are curious to know a bit more about these 3 types of movement songs, you can head to this blog post but on this blog post, I’m sharing 6 of my favorite movement songs that the kids in your life will like, too. But first, let me tell you about active movement songs.
What are active movement songs?
Active movement songs are those songs that we use to actively engage children by having them up, dancing & having a lot of fun during music time. These songs have the potential to bring the arousal level up.
Ready for some of my favorite active movement songs?
6 Active Movement Songs For Preschool and Kindergarten Music Time
1. Move it, move it
”Move It, Move It” is probably my most popular song that music therapists and music teachers use. It is a really fun, active movement song that I have used for. 12 years or more. The most fun part of this song is that it is a “dance-freeze” movement song.
2. Just dance
“Just Dance” is an active movement song that engages kids in choosing the next movements, with an added element of surprise and fun when we all “freeze!” during the song.
Kids start standing with their knees bent and then they twist. As they twist, they get a little bit higher, and little bit higher, and when their legs are straight and they get to the top, they’re free to move depending on the movement we suggest (jump, dance, wiggle, etc.).
3. Busy Like a bee
Busy Like A Bee, a VERY fun movement song that has kids buzzing, flying, twirling, and racing.
4. grizzly bear grump
Grizzly Bear Grump is a sensory-based movement song. It helps kids explore feelings of anger and frustration, and then it gives them specific sensory tools to help them self-regulate.
Kids practice these strong feelings + sensory tools when they're feeling good, and then they have concrete things to try when they're feeling bad. Simple, but so incredibly powerful.
5. chugga chugga choo choo
Chugga Chugga Choo Choo is a train movement song that can explore train movements (arms moving in a circular motion by your side) and movements such as jumping or dancing.
6. all I want to do
All I Want To Do is a song that pairs feelings with movement to help kids with their big and complicated feelings about changes in their routine, at school, at home, a move, and all other challenging things they might be going through.
If you’d like to go more in-depth about my systematic approach to movement songs and learn WHEN to implement them during your music class or session, check out out mini-course Movement Songs For Kiddos.
This course includes:
12 professionally recorded movement songs + a bonus cool-down song for kids ages 0-10
An online video mini-course featuring implementation tips for each song
A 23-page PDF with lyrics, chords & strums
Backing tracks for each of the songs
