For the past couple year I have been using some instrumental music for my warm up in my classes for age 3-5 but I am working on a new curriculum and was wondering what you all used? Do you use the same songs each week? Songs with lyrics?

are we talking creative movement classes? I use a lot of nursery rhymes for that age group as well as instrumental or instructional songs. I usually repeat the same music for most of the yr. I change it up yearly, I do introduce new songs at the end of class or if they are improvising etc. But I find the kids like to have a set routine, they get upset and always remind me if I skip one of the stretches or exercises we normally do.

As much as using the same music for warm-up drives me nuts in my older classes ( I always vary the playlist) , this young age group likes/needs the repetition.

I use instrumental music for the tap portion, ballet music for stretches and then move to general nursery rhymes/Sesame Street/Wiggles, etc. for the gross motor portion.

As of late, I have introduced one or two songs with directives each class (the hokey pokey/clap your hands/open and shut them)

I found some African drum rhythms by Palms Down. No words and has different, strong beats.

I will also use older music from the 50's through the 90's and mix them up. This way they learn to enjoy and appreciate older songs, but they do not know them and start singing or bopping to them, which can happen if you use popular music.

It is easy to find aerobic class music with all of those songs, in long tracks, too.

I like Greg and Steve for the little kids. We also warm up with the chicken dance or Casper Slide sometimes. Younger Elementary I like Juno Reactor or some sort of electronic and *gasp* kidz bop. For the middle schoolers I use 80's tunes because I am familiar with the lyrics (I'm dating myself, I realize) and they are 'new' songs to them, while the parents can enjoy listening o nthe other side of the wall. For the teens I try to be more upbeat, and then they end up requesting the 80's and 90's songs I use for the middle schoolers!


Songs they like: Hungry Like the Wolf, Rock Me Amadeus, You Spin Me Right Round, 99 Red Balloons, Weird Science, Karma Chameleon--stuff like that.

I use a combination of instrumental (for the imaginative play dances), to itsy bitsy spider telling them about port de bras, to some cute ones by Joanie Bartels (I like Oogie Woogie Boogie). I also use songs like Frere Jacques with scarves, and Here We Go Looby Loo for chasses.

I have a set playlist for each age group and I too agree with repetition and continuity for the youngsters. I play the songs for the whole year-adding on a few holiday songs to perform in December and then 2-3 new ones pre-recital.

For tap, I vary between fun kid oriented instrumentals and some Disney stuff. My 5's like Hannah and the Disney Mania stuff, so on special occasions like good listening ears, I play HM for warm ups

Janet, I have that Palms Down CD. I love it!! I use it with 2.5's, ballet classes, modern, lyrical and even some younger taps!! I didn't play it at all this year because I never uploaded it to my Ipod. Thanks for the reminder!! Off to go locate it now...

Sharon