This is my first year doing a creative movement class. The girls are pretty young (about 2 1/2). I've never had girls this young for more than a half an hour. I'm at a new studio now and it seems that this is how they have always done this. HOW???? It was the first day today so it was a little rough, and sometimes I get intimidated, and discipline didn't seem to work to well for me today. At my old studio, numbers were painted on the floor so it was easier for them to attempt to stay in line. Not the case here, I am at a loss of what to. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated

eek.... an hour long class for 2 1/2 year olds!!!

The first thing I usually do is have everyone do a moving, fun dance, like "Animal Action" or "Freeze" etc. That helps to get the wiggles out of them. Then we sit down in the middle of the room in a circle and I take roll.

Take your time taking roll, seriously, I tell them I have a dog, who's name is Wolfie, she's white. Then when I call their name, they tell us if they have a pet or they can make up a pretend pet! Sometimes, I look at their eyes and tell them what color I see, etc.

Of course, if they can't sit still that long, change the plan.
I usually go into pike sitting and clicking our shoes together (each person). Then toes up, toes down, etc. different floor warm ups.

With this young class you need to be very flexible. If you are losing the class, change to a prop activity.

Another great thing to do if the class is coming apart, is everyone pretend they are going to sleep. And while they are laying there--figure out what to do. Sometimes I play instrumental music and tell them they are slowly waking up, draw it out, they see big trees, they see birds flying, etc. and then they get up and dance through the forest, maybe they are Pocahontas, just have fun making it up on the spot.

Today we woke up and we were butterflys, ...

Anyway, take your time, but keep it moving and have lots of soft props. Good Luck!!

...a very very long time for this age! (here we have only 45 minutes - and sometimes even this seems to be too long...)

But the children at this age love "waking up like a cat" with curling and stretching ( sleeping beauty white cat/black cat), maybe they like dancing like fairies (The Fairies "hello, hello, hello") or they love to "tickle the ceiling, tickle the toes"...

They love everything around themes like "circus" (you´re the "director and proudly present all your wonderful horses, dangerous lions, fantastic acrobats or beautiful ballerinas...) Let them walk through the room with all these ideas.

Later your "artists" are maybe able to change formation from free running into a line, into a row, or a circle... holding hands or find together in pairs...

I think, this age is very difficult and you need to have allways new, fresh ideas to keep them interested.

Good luck

Maybe you should do a 'break' half way. Where you read a story (as an intro the the rest of the danceclass). Or listen to a song and talk about it. Maybe show a part of a dance movie (Barbie!!). Or they go to 'sleep' and you walk around to wisper a word in their ears.

Good props are essential for this age group. Invest in some rhythm sticks, bean bags and scarves or wrist ribbons. I like to break my class up alternating a lot of large movements with sit down activities or 1 or 2 (depending on class size) traveling across the floor at a time. A good thing for this group is to work one on one and teach front somersaults. That can take some time up. They also love partner work with a friend. Songs that call out movements are a HUGE help! Greg and Steve cds are my favorites for the little ones. "This Is the Way We Do It", "Animal Action", "Bean Bag Boogie" "The Freeze" and "Bop Until You Drop" are standards for my class. "Ballerinas On the Move" is another one I love. It has good instrumentals as well.

dancetcher1 wrote:

eek.... an hour long class for 2 1/2 year olds!!!

Oh my goodness....my thoughts exactly.

They have the attention span totaling 2.5 seconds.

While we schedule an hour's slot for the youngest, I explain to the parents that the class is actually 45 minutes - because that's the limit of their attention span. The moms readily agree, so we spend several minutes when they arrive, sitting down and dressing magnetic ballerinas (an updated version of paper dolls.) Towards the end, we pull out Happy Hopsters (rubber bouncy balls with handles so you can sit on them) and that takes 5 minutes. Then we take time picking out their stickers (for those who were good.)

I also use a small parachute, bridal veils, feather boas, ladybug wings, tiaras, small animal hand puppets, etc. You can buy 6" circles with numbers from S & S Wholesale, or use small carpet squares, to mark their places of the floor.

I cut circles out of old yoga mats. The kids pretend to drive to different place. Then when ipause the music they put them down and jump, stand, sway, ct. on them. They love it. A simple obstacle course also could be fun! I have a low balance beam, hoops, a stuffed animal to jump over, a tunnel ect.

Have fun!

I love Dance net and all of you!!!! Thank you for all your ideas, what a help they were