If you want to try the game dance, dance, freeze! But your baby is not yet walking, let alone dancing, don’t let that stop you! I used to play this game with my baby all the time before he could walk. All you have to do is hold your baby and dance to the music, then freeze when the music stops. Watch your baby squeal with delight as you bounce around, and then stop, then start again!

Best Ages for This Activity

Zero to one.

How to Prepare

Hold your baby in your arms, get someone to help you turn the music on and off, and follow the directions below.

What you will need:

  • A music player – it can be your phone, or if you have a speaker, it makes it even better as it is a little louder and clearer.
  • Someone to help you pause the music in the middle of a song so you can “freeze” while holding baby, then turn it back on a few seconds later.

What to do

  • Here is how you play:
    • When the music plays, you dance, dance, dance!
    • When the music stops, you freeze immediately! Like a statue, in whatever position you are in, and don’t move until the music starts again.
  • Put on your favourite, happiest song, and dance till the music stops. Freeze in place for a few seconds, then have your special helper (it can even be an older child) start the song again and start dancing again!

It is like playing musical chairs without the chairs, and with a lot more dancing! The focus is on dancing and having fun. Freezing in place just makes it more fun as it adds the element of surprise, which your baby will love!

You don’t have to play children’s music; choose the music you like to dance to.

Learning Opportunities

This activity is part of our dance curriculum at CEFA Early Learning schools. Of course, our students can already walk so they are the ones doing the dancing, but this is still a great activity for baby, as it will introduce them to dancing, and to the S.T.E.M. concept of cause and effect. Dance improves your baby’s general sense of well-being and happiness and strengthens the bond they have with you, as you are playing with them and holding them.

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