One of my favorite things to do when I have preschool storytime at the library is moving around and dancing. While this might sound strange–after all, aren’t we supposed to be encouraging kids to sit still and listen?–movement actually really helps keep kids focused and can also help with reading.
Movement is an important aspect of increasing literacy and getting kids engaged in reading. When kids get the wiggles during storytime, a quick little dance is a great way to get the extra energy out and get the kids focused on reading again. Plus, it goes along with the American Library Association’s literary practice of “sing.” Singing helps children recognize rhythms and rhymes, and doing movements or dancing during these songs can keep the kids interested in the songs and engage them in another way. Rhythm in song and dance help kids develop listening skills.
Dance is also a way for kids to express themselves creatively, and coupling dancing with a story can show young people that there are a great many ways of telling a story beyond just speaking and writing. When children dance, it helps them develop mental imaging skills that make reading more effective. It helps them make connections between a story and the real world. Research shows a strong link between proficient readers and those who are able to visualize or create mental images as they read. The more of the five senses engaged during reading, the better kids process what they are reading. Helping kids visualize emotions helps with this as well, and dance can help show these feelings. What better way to introduce dance to your storytime than a story about dancing?
Here is a list of thirty books I selected to be part of our “Let’s Dance!” display at the library this month. Seeing how fast the books are disappearing from the shelf, I’d say it’s a popular subject! As always, I try to incorporate as much diversity into my list as possible, because all kids need to see themselves in the stories we read. I hope you and your kids enjoy sharing these stories together!
Disclaimer: Wherever possible I used my affiliate links to BookShop.org to help support independent bookstores as well as my writing.
