This month we will be celebrating the importance of creative, rhythmic, and internal movement. Studies show that children use movement as part of their development and engaging their bodies helps little ones absorb new skills! Let’s get our move on with these rhythmically inspired September reads!
Giraffes Can’t Dance By Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Gerald the giraffe wishes he could dance like all the other animals, but everyone knows “giraffes can’t dance.” With some encouraging words from a helpful friend, Gerald discovers “we can all dance when we find the music that we love!
Flora and the Flamingo By Molly Idle
Follow Flora and her Flamingo friend as they learn to dance together in perfect harmony. Get creative with this wordless lift-the-flap story! Challenge older children to mimic Flora and the Flamingo’s movements or play classical music as you help your little one turn the pages and lift the flaps! Try “Swan Lake, Op. 20, Act II: No. 10” or “Dance of the Hours” from La Gioconda.
Dinosaur Dance By Sandra Boynton
These dinos LOVE to dance! Stomp your feet, shake your tail and get into the groove with this rhythmic rhyming book. Can your little one repeat some of these patterns or try mimicking some of these dances?
Jazz Baby By Lisa Wheeler and R. Gregory Christie
Singing, snapping, tapping clapping… there are so many ways to make our own music! This Jazz Baby gets the whole family dancing to the beat, and it all starts with a ‘clap-clap-clap!’
The Animal Boogie Illustrated by Debbie Harter, Sung by Fred Penner
Let’s shake, swing, stomp and boogie along with the animals in the jungle! This book comes with a CD so you can listen and sing along! Encourage older children to dance along or hold baby in your arms as you do the Animal Boogie!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25_u1GzruQM
