All Preschool Dance teachers agree on one thing! Preparation is KEY and a big part of preparation is having the right tools.To make life easier, I’ve compiled a list of 5 things you definitely don’t want to approach a preschool dance class without.
- Place Markers – classroom management is vital to successful preschool dance classes. You can read more about how to set up your Preschool Dance class here. Basically you want to have a designated place in the room where each student stands. This helps with confidence to enter the room and is SO important for class management. This designated spot needs to be marked out in some way. You can use little bath mats or Poly Dots like these. Start off with one for each child in your preferred pattern (circle, lines), and then as the class progresses you can move them to help with across the floor work.
- Scarves – I NEVER enter a Preschool dance class without my bag of trusty scarves. You can buy some multicoloured ones here or make your own by buying a big piece of fabric (one the doesn’t need hemming) and cutting them yourself. Possibilities with scarves are endless – practicing levels (scarf up, scarf down), sautés with scarves, peek-a-boo practicing facial expressions, shapes, folding.
- A good playlist – Preschool Dance classes succeed and fail on the back of your playlist. A good playlist consists of a warm up section, songs for the body of your class, songs for locomotion, songs for creative movement and most importantly some go to action songs. like Doin the Penguin or The Goldfish
- Pom Poms – Pom Pom’s solve everything. Really, they do. They are just perfect for the end of a class – the kids LOVE them, they get to let off some steam after concentrating and its just makes a nice end to your class when everything ends on a good note. Some of my most disastrous preschool dance classes have been saved in an INSTANT by pom poms. These are GREAT!!! They have saved me SO MANY TIMES!I like to have all the same colour as I don’t like an otherwise happy experience ruined by kids squabbling over which colour they want or worse still, factions forming – “we have the pink pom poms, you don’t, you can’t join us”. Things can go south so quickly, just get the same colour and keep the whole thing upbeat and fun.
- Stickers – What Preschool Dance class would be complete without a sticker to finish off. It marks the finish of the class and helps ensure that everyone leaves happy. I’ve seen even the WORST mood lifted when sticker time rolls around. As tempting as it is, it is very important not to use stickers as a bargaining tool. You won’t win. Never say things like, “you won’t get a sticker if you don’t line up”, or “you can have 2 stickers if you do this step”. This is just a recipe for disaster! First of all, the kids will probably call you out and still refuse to do whatever it is you want them to. Dealing with the consequences of not giving one preschool child a sticker at the end of class is just REALLY NOT worth it. Giving more than one sticker is a slippery slope, avoid at all costs. Positive reinforcement is so much better. I do sometimes give out more than one sticker, sometimes I will give a whole sheet of stickers when the class has been really, really good. Just don’t start bargaining with stickers – you will lose!
