Art, dance, and music have a variety of benefits for everyone, especially young toddlers and preschoolers. There are many simple, yet fun and engaging activities parents can implement at home. In addition, an art, dance and music class tailored for that specific age group may benefit your preschooler.
ART
When your child grows into an older toddler/preschooler, their fine motor skills improve, along with their attention span and ability to focus on the project at hand. This year I learned my four-year-old son’s favorite type of art is sensory. Promoting sensory experiences with your toddler and preschooler could help them learn and retain information at the same time.
Soapy Foam Play
Put together a foamy sensory craft by creating a giant tub of suds. Fill a large plastic tub with water, food coloring and, dish soap, then mix it all with a hand mixer to create mountains of crazy foam. The result is a simple and fun activity to learn colors and experiment with mixing hues.
Bubble Wrap Painting
We did this recently at the Marina Library during a special art day, and it was a blast! Wrap your child’s feet in bubble wrap, sponge a few colors of tempera paint on to the bottoms of their feet and allow them to walk across sheets of craft paper to make a stomp painting. They can create unique dotted patterns with the bubble wrap and practice gross motor skills like balance. Helpful tip, do this outdoors!
Spaghetti Painting
Your child’s favorite meal just turned into a fun and exciting art activity. Fill large trays with cooked spaghetti and let your child paint and play with the pasta using brushes, sponges and different vibrant colors of washable tempera paint. You can allow the preschoolers to cut up, scoop and twirl the noodles before painting them. The kiddos will love to mix the colors and perhaps pretend they are head chefs in a new Italian restaurant.
DANCE
Another creative element to introduce to your toddler and preschooler is dance. Preschoolers benefit from age-appropriate instruction that enhances their physical, emotional, and social skills. Children as young as two years old can enjoy the benefits of a creative dance education.
The Hokey Pokey
“You put your _______ in; you put your _______out, you put your ______ in and, you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about!”
Fill in the blank with body parts: arm, foot, head, etc.
Butterfly Flying
You will need two scarves per child.
Have your child hold a scarf in each hand and have them flap their wings like a butterfly, fly around the room, and make a cocoon on the floor by hiding their wings and forming into a ball.
Play any song or “Fly Fly the Butterfly.”
Freeze Dance
Freeze Dance is a fun activity for children of all ages. Play music and have them move around the room however they wish. When the music stops, they freeze right where they finished. To mix it up have them move like different animals, different heights, etc.
MUSIC
Music is our favorite daily activity! This early introduction to music does more than entertain. It can kick-start learning, serve as an important cue in a child’s routine, and offer lifelong benefits.
Rhythm Jam Session
Gather many types of rhythm instruments including tambourine, shakers, bells, cymbals, sticks, etc. Allow time to experiment with each instrument and then sing songs such as:
Use Your Instrument Today
(Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”)
Let’s all play our bells today,
To help you sing and dancethis way.
Jingle, jingle, ring, ring, ring,
Keep the rhythm with a shakeand ring.
So, let’s all play our bells today,
To help you sing and dancethis way.
Sing-a-long in the car (or at home)
If you are like me, you spend a lot of time driving. Many parents rely on technology to get their preschooler to sit quietly. We go a different route and make it loud! Put on your favorite child-friendly tunes and have a sing-a-long. Alternate kid favorites such as “Itsy Bitsy Spider and The Wheels on the Bus” with new hits such as “Happy” by Pharrell Williams and “How Far I’ll Go” by Alessia Cara.