Whether you are planning a small party for your child’s birthday, or trying to engage them into physical activities, and even trying to make learning interesting for them, incorporating some dance games in the process helps more than you think. Just dance games for kids could also translate into party games for kids, and are not just fun and entertaining in the process, but imbibes team spirit and encourages children to participate in group activities!
Here are some interesting dance games for kids, that help to have fun and learn at the same time.
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11 Fun Filled and Entertaining Dance Games for Kids
Journey game
This game creates an imaginative experience for children, and materializes the fairy tales they read in the books. You could take them to a ‘forest’ of say red riding hood and hansel and Gretel, wherein they interact with different elements in the forests by dancing. They could dance with the flowers and cross bridges, sing with the birds and dance with the deer! They could pretend to be one of them, and it is the beauty of the purity and innocence that makes the game innovative.
Passing the dance move
This game makes space for not adding some groovy dance moves but also improves their cognitive ability. In a group of children, a person starts a dance step, and passes it on to the child next to her. The next child then adds a step of his own to the previous step, and passes this combined step to the next person. This goes on, and can be made more fun by dancing to the routine created as a result. The children have to participate by relying on their memories, and it is best to let children limit themselves to simple steps to include everyone.
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Dancing with props
This simple game paves the way for fun while being interactive, and is a great party game for kids. Firstly, the kids have to pick out a prop, or an item, which could be balloons, ribbons, hats, flowers, scarves- you get the gist! After picking the prop, the child has to dance with the prop for the duration of the music. This could be made more fun if they could talk about the props they are using, their likes and dislikes, and even letting them choose their ow prop. The creativity that stems from this exercise is surprising and fun!
Animal dance
This game requires children to imagine, and is a lot of fun. You could make chits or small cards with names of different animals written on them, and let every child pick one card. After doing so, the kids have to dance to the music, and move like that animal! You could also invite them to speak on the different aspects of the animal, like where do they live, what do they eat, and how do they sound. You could also ask them to imitate their movement- if they move fast or slow, or do they take big steps or small and if they are loud or quiet!
Move like the music
This dancing game allows children to identify the theme of the music, and the emotions they feel while doing so. The dancing to the music thus exhibits the emotions they feel while listening to it- if it is a happy song, they can dance by bouncing and if the music is calm and even sad, they can dance by swaying instead. This game makes them think and not move mechanically, allowing them to develop well cognitive and emotional abilities, and reacting to them by exhibiting certain body movements.
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Dance the action
This game basically requires children to enact certain words through the medium of dance. You could either make chits or cards with words like blossom, rain, wind, fly- take your pick, and then ask the children to enact them with music. You could use this dance moves game to also help children remember the meanings of certain words, and can also be a great way to learn!
Small to big
The game is beautiful and relies on the imaginative capabilities of the children. Firstly, identify a growth pattern. This could be flowers-plants-trees, or even caterpillar-pupa-butterfly! There is nothing better than dancing to something that also educates and adds meaning. Children will not only learn new things, but also have fun while learning a little more!
Heartbeat hop Dance game
Combining two childhood favourite past-times, that is, hopscotch and dancing, this game is exciting for all! The game requires a caller- who will call out numbers one and two, based on the heartbeat. When one is called out, the children have to hop on one leg, and when two is called, the children have to hop around on both their feet, and have to create interesting patters on the floor. This tests their resourcefulness and creativity!
Dance poses game
This game is exciting for children and adults alike. First, the children must choose a partner for each other. Then, choose a fun song that is light-hearted and groovy. Give five to ten minutes to the teams to come up with different dance poses that they think goes well with the song. And that is it! You will not only be surprised to see the different poses that the children come up with, but is also enjoyable for them.
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Dancing Switch
This dancing game adds life to the party, simply because it explores different genres of dance and music! Make a playlist of different types of songs, and then once they start playing, you could call out different dance styles such as disco, salsa, hip hop, slow waltz- it is up to your imagination! The children must be paired in partners, and have to switch their dancing styles with every name you call out.
Obstacles game
A simple yet entertaining game- this combines dance moves and emphasises on body movement. Essentially, you need to place obstacles in a line, you could use different props for this purpose like party hats and big cones, with gap in between. The children must now cross these obstacles the way they please. They could dance their way through, or jump over them with a partner, and even use a small car to drive through the obstacles.
