I love dance parties. They're just the best! Dancing gets your body moving, relieves stress, and gets you energized. It's also a great social activity and is a fun non-screen based activity.
Of course, you can always dance to kid songs. But they can be annoying. I'm not naming any names- I don't want them stuck in my head- but it's okay to take a break from them.
Here's a playlist of some of my favorite kid-friendly songs on Amazon Prime. My criteria: no swear words, no references to violence or drugs, no explicit references to sex, and no explicit references to alcohol. The lyrics of some of the songs do include having "a drink" and relate to love.
Tips for a dance party:
- Schedule it. As much as I love spontaneous dances, we all need things to look forward to. Put it on the family calendar. Set an alarm for it. Talk it up ("I better stretch out. We're going to boogie tomorrow and I don't want to hurt myself").
- Make it an event. Move furniture around to make a dance floor even if you don't need to. Flicker lights on and off or use some holiday lights to create a disco ball effect.
- Let them help choose the playlist or alternate who chooses the songs.
- Get dressed up--by that, I mean put on colorful socks, jammies, or sweatpants. Spike your hair up or put it into a side pony. Wear sunglasses or put your hoodie up.
- Invite friends or family to Zoom in.
- Prepare to look really silly. Show off your classic moves like the running man, sprinkler, and the shopping cart. Being silly can bring the more reluctant dancers to the floor.
- Be prepared to start the party on your own. Some kids will be too cool to get excited beforehand and may not join right away. That’s okay. Crank the music up and get started anyway. Invite them to join in playful ways like "fishing" for them or a little friendly trash-talking ("I get it. You’re intimidated. No one can beat these sweet moves."). It’s a win even if they just come into the room to laugh.
Put the music on shuffle and let me know how it goes! I have more songs that I can share…
Mary can be reached at CORT@i-can.center.