Thinking on My Feet with Kids

This morning was my Music and Movement Time with the three and four year olds at the Dayschool.  I had a CD that I burned with a couple of Greg and Steve's songs on them.   For those of you who aren't up on the preschool music these days, Greg and Steve are a couple of guys who have made quite a living singing and playing the guitars for children. 

I am sure when these musicians were teens or even young adults that they envisioned making it big in the music industry.  I am sure they hoped to make and sell enough of their music to support themselves and perhaps a family.  What I doubt is that they planned on making it big with the littlest of listeners.  But they have.

They have over 20 CDs; they've been nominated for a Grammy award; and they have received "Parent Choice" awards.  So I guess you can say that they are doing okay.

Nevertheless, I had a very energetic time with these preschoolers stretching, bending, and dancing to their music this morning.  The musician (Greg or Steve, not sure which) would tell us how to move while they were playing their guitars.  You had to listen to know what to do.  I had started with the oldest two classes which was good because they did pretty well on listening.  I knew after experiencing this with them what might happen when I got to the three year olds.  

Those three's were into the moving part for sure.  Uh, now, the listening part was a little off for a some of them.  But we made it through the first song and then came the "thinking of my feet" part.  I knew that the second part that I had done with the older ones would not go to well with these guys.  So I went for the "freeze dance"--you know dance and move until the music stops and then freeze.  

The song was "Shoe Fly" so the children (and me) tiptoed, swam, and jumped to the music.  They got on (pretty much) to the freeze part and enjoyed all the motions.  When it came to the crawling, I dropped to my knees and began crawling.  Yes, I crawled.  All the kids loved it and started crawling too.  I figured they would just crawl around on the carpet, but when I looked around they were following me!  After a bit, I crawled to the CD player to turn it off so they could "freeze." I turned it off and at the same time I glanced over my shoulder. 

It was the funniest sight.  It looked like a bunch of ants circling a piece of candy and I was the candy!  All of those cuties were bunched up on their hands and knee inches behind me.  Too funny.

But that's the way it is when working with kids.  You gotta enjoy the moment and think fast when the moment goes awry.   And if all else fails, get down on your hands and knees and crawl!