Music and Movement Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

It is hard to put a dollar amount on how much value people get out of including music in their lives. However, it is worth noting that people spend more than $800 million on private music classes every year in the United States alone. That is an impressive testament to how much value music can add to our lives.

On top of that, we now know that interacting with music when we are young can help us appreciate it more as we get older. That means that music and movement for toddlers are powerful ways to facilitate child development.

People have spent a long time experimenting with different music and movement games for young children. That means that you can almost certainly find several games that your children will love. At the same time, you might need to try out a wide variety of music and movement activities to figure out which ones work best for you.

Read on to learn about some of the best music and movement games your children might love!

Create a Musical Obstacle Course

One of the best music and movement activities for preschool children is the musical obstacle course. Once you have set up the obstacle course, all you have to do is play some great preschool movement songs and let the children have a blast running through the course.

It can also be a lot of fun to mix up the kind of songs that you play while children go through the course. For example, you might start out with exciting music with a fast tempo. However, you might then follow that up with slower songs that invite children to navigate the course with more focus and patience.

Fast music education songs like Flight of the Bumblebee can help children run through the course with a frenetic and uncontrolled energy. On the other hand, playing slower music with sweeping melodic lines can invite children to focus more on avoiding mistakes and moving smoothly.

So what is it about the musical obstacle course that makes it such a great activity? For one thing, it helps children to develop their motor control as well as their appreciation for music. Navigating obstacle courses can help build agility and dexterity.

Of course, at the same time, going through an obstacle course will give your children the opportunity to get in some great exercise. On top of all that, your children will have a blast with this game. Don't be surprised if they ask for you to set up obstacle courses in the future.

If you have multiple children navigating the obstacle course together, this game can also invite a healthy sense of competition. That can encourage children to develop their skills and learn to play fairly and navigate social situations at the same time.

Play Preschool Activities Like Musical Chairs

When it comes to music and movement for toddlers, musical chairs is another fantastic game choice. We are often used to seeing older kids play musical chairs. However, when younger children play this game, they often move much slower and take a long time to learn the different strategies that can help them win.

Of course, that only adds to the educational advantages of this game. Musical chairs teaches young children to watch each other and read their body language to help them know when and how to move toward the most available empty chair. Because children have to wait for the music to stop before taking their chairs, this is also a great game for teaching them focus and attention.

Get Everyone Marching Together

You can also put on some preschool movement songs and invite the children and adults to march together in time with the music. This is another great game that helps children develop practical skills in the social, musical, and physical realms all at the same time.

Children learn to read body language and match their movements with each other. The fact that they have to do this while also matching their movements to the rhythm of the music is an added bonus. This is a great game for building camaraderie and a sense of closeness between the players as well.

Play Body Parts Dancing Games

To play the body parts dancing game, put on some music and call out one body part at a time. The players then dance to the music while moving only the body part you call out.

Along with being a lot of fun, this is also a great game for teaching children to learn the various names of their body parts. That means that this game combines musical, physical, and linguistic skill practice.

Play a Game of Musical Statues

To play musical statues, put on some music and then stop it from time to time. Children can dance to the music, but they must stop and stand as still as a statue when the music stops. This is another great movement game because it teaches children to focus as well as greater control of their bodies.

Enjoy the Value of Music and Movement for Toddlers

When it comes to music and movement for toddlers, there is an almost unlimited number of games out there. At the same time, there is no such thing as the best game for every child. Experimenting with a variety of music and movement games will help you figure out which ones are the most effective for your children.

To learn more about how you can find the best educational tools for your children, check out some of our free samples here!