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Play and Mental Health

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

“The Importance of Play: Why It’s Essential for Children’s Mental Health”

Did you know that play is an important part of a child’s mental health? The saying “Play is a child’s job” is very true – it’s a crucial part of their physical, emotional and social development. Play allows children to explore their world, express their feelings and build relationships with others. Not only that, it can help children learn and understand the world around them, develop problem-solving skills and even reduce stress and anxiety. So, don’t underestimate the power of play – it’s essential to a child’s growth and well-being.

Intellidance® logo. The Importance of Play: Why It's Essential for Children's Mental Health. Toddler girl wearing a purple tutu crawls through a rainbow colored tunnel.

What We Know About Children’s Mental Health

A startling 2016 statistic from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.org) shows 1 in 5 U.S. children aged 2–8 years (17.4%) had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder. According to Yale Medicine, studies show that even a child as young as 2 years old can experience depression. And, from March 2020 to October 2020, mental health-related emergency department visits increased 24% for children ages 5 to 11.

Pandemic trauma aside, a major factor in the decline of childhood mental health is the loss of play. Kids today are losing out on the opportunity to play freely, whether it’s due to schools cutting back on recess or a rise in screen time at home. This is a massive problem that is limiting children’s ability to explore and express themselves.

Play and Mental Health

Intellidance® logo. During play kids can... explore life on their own terms, manage their behavior and emotions, develop problem-solving skills, make their own decisions, understand the consequences of their actions, reach their full potential! 3-5 year old boy sitting and playing with wooden blocks.

The research is undeniable: fostering free playtime in childhood carries a host of benefits that can be enjoyed into adulthood. Through imaginative play, children can take charge of their own destinies and explore life on their own terms. Unstructured playtime equips kids with the skills to effectively manage their behavior and a wide range of emotions, while also helping them to develop their problem-solving skills, internal locus of control, confidence and resilience.

Through play, children learn how to make their own decisions and understand the consequences of those decisions, setting them up to become successful, content and healthy adults. By providing children with the opportunity to play, we can ensure that they reach their full potential.

Intellidance® Play With Purpose

At Intellidance®, we know that play is how young children naturally explore and make sense of their world. When children play in a safe and trusting environment, they build relationships, learn to resolve conflict, negotiate and regulate their behavior. Our teachers remain flexible in the direction of each class to ensure they are responding to how children are experiencing play.

Toddler girl smiling and playing with large dance scarves. Another young toddler is also smiling and playing within the scarves.

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more FUN on purpose!

Free Activity: Creating Sounds to Match Body Movements

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Creating Sounds to Match Body Movements

Making silly sounds and matching them with body movements is an amazing way for your young dancers to get creative and have fun!

Using sound effects is a great way to demonstrate speed, energy, levels and size. Different sounds can be used to match our movements, helping our dancers comprehend what is required of them and what sensations they should be experiencing.  In addition to keeping students engaged, adding sounds also make different concepts easier to remember! Check out our new activity cards to help unleash your student’s creative silly sounds.

Freebie alert! Creating Sounds to match body movements. Three movement concept cards are shown in the center and the words "swoosh", "zoom", "ping!", "thud", "bam!" and "shshshsh" surround them.

How to Use

These movement cards are easy to use. Show a card to your dancers and ask them what sound they think that movement makes. Or, make a silly sound and ask your dancers which card they think matches that sound. Remember, there are no wrong answers! Try to emphasize the variety of movement qualities, weight and energy, levels and body size of the pictures. After showing your students the cards and coming up with a “sound effects vocabulary”, put together different combinations of movements. Have your dancers perform them across the floor for your Skills section, within your Creating Together time or during Exploration. Choose movements that correspond with your class concept, such as jumping and creeping on the floor for Levels and Pitch, smooth stretching with sharp marching and stomps for Energy and Dynamics, etc.

Have your dancers say their sound with the movements as they do them. It’s sure to be a silly and fun activity!

Connecting Movements with Sounds

We love connecting body movements with sounds because it helps our dancers develop important skills such as coordination, creativity and problem-solving. Connecting body movements with sounds allows kids to be creative and explore their movements in a unique way. Additionally, connecting body movements with sounds helps kids to understand how music and rhythm work together, which helps them express themselves in a fun and meaningful way. This is especially useful for our auditory learners (those who learn best by listening) and our auditory/kinesthetic learners (those who learn best by listening and doing).

Free Download

Click the images below to download your PDF files. Enjoy!

4 movement concept cards. 1. cartoon girl jumping with explosion lines behind her. 2. a cartoon body running with yellow "fast" lines behind him. 3. a cartoon girl in a wavy body position with wavy lines on both sides of her body. 4. a cartoon girl in a twisted shape with a swirly line next to her.
4 movement concept cards. 1. a cartoon girl dancing on her tiptoes with feathers floating around her. 2. a cartoon boy leaping over an inverted V. 3. a cartoon girl upside with a swirly line beneath her. 4. a cartoon boy with his upper body curved to the side and a curved arrow above him.
4 movement concept cards. 1. a cartoon boy crawling on the ground with wavy lines above him. 2. a cartoon girl jumping straight up and a spring under her. 3. a cartoon boy marching with pointed arrows at his elbows and knees. 4. a cartoon boy stomping his foot and a big star explosion beneath his foot.

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more FUN on purpose!

Mirroring and Vocalization with Babies

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Understanding the Power of Mirroring and Vocalization in Baby Development

The development and growth of babies are truly remarkable. One of the most fascinating aspects of early childhood development is the way babies learn to communicate and express themselves through mirroring and vocalization. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of mirroring and vocalization in baby development and how Intellidance® encourages and fosters this behavior.

Two moms hold their babies to face each other.

The Power of Mirroring

One of the most fascinating and important developments in the first few months of a baby’s life is the process of mirroring. Mirroring is when the baby copies the facial expressions and movements of others around them. This helps the baby to explore their environment, learn new skills and develop relationships with those around them. 

Science shows that mirroring stimulates babies’ brains and helps them to form a strong connection between their emotions and those of others around them. Mirroring also helps the baby to learn facial expressions, which are critical for communication and expressing emotions. In addition, mirroring helps the baby to develop a sense of self, as they learn to recognize the similarities and differences between themselves and those around them. All of these benefits are essential for a baby’s social and emotional growth.

Infographic: Mirroring and vocalization helps babies: Develop language and communication skills Learn to recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others Express themselves and interact with their environment Foster a secure attachment between caregiver and baby Develop healthy self-esteem and self-confidence

The Power of Vocalization

Vocalization helps babies learn to communicate, express their needs and learn language. Research has shown that babies who vocalize more often tend to reach language milestones more quickly. Additionally, vocalization is a great way for babies to bond with their caregivers as they learn to recognize their own voices and the voices of those around them. 

Combining mirroring and vocalization together helps the baby to understand the connection between their behavior, the response from adults and the language associated with it. This helps to create a strong foundation for language development and communication in the future.

Intellidance® Babies Activities for Mirroring and Vocalization

One of our favorite Intellidance® Babies activities is Mirroring and Vocalization. In this activity, caregivers divide themselves into groups of two or three and hold their babies to face each other. One caregiver acts as the leader and chooses a movement with their baby. Their partner copies the movement so the babies are mirroring one another. Eventually, vocalization is added in to match the movement. Then, they switch leaders and repeat with a new movement. The babies are receiving all of the wonderful benefits that mirroring and vocalization provide, plus vestibular input, socialization and bonding with their caregiver.

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more FUN on purpose!

How Music Rewires the Brain

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Discover the Long-Term Brain Benefits of Music

The power of music can literally rewire our brains. Studies have shown that music can create new neural pathways in the brains of children, allowing for improved memory, focus and emotional regulation. It can also improve our learning abilities, improve language skills and help our physical coordination! At Intellidance®, we’ve seen the incredible benefits music has on our students and make sure coordinating movement and music concepts are the driving forces of our curriculum. By understanding the benefits of music in our littlest dancers, we can make a positive impact on their long-term brain development!

How Music Rewires the Brain. A yellow background with an orange paint splat with a white silhouetted brain. There are orange, green, yellow and blue lines connecting to each other within the brain. Green, blue and white music notes are in the background.

Cross-Fit For Your Brain

Listening to music is a full-on workout for the brain. Music processing requires the left and right hemispheres to communicate with one another. The creative right side of the brain interprets musical melodies and emotions. The logic-driven left side is activated by recognizing rhythmic and musical patterns, and language. By tapping into both sides of the brain, music can help enhance communication and creativity, as well as improve overall problem-solving skills.

Music Activates Almost the Entire Brain!

As stated above, music activates both the right and left hemispheres. But, let’s break that down even further. Music lights up the auditory lobes as we receive auditory stimulation (i.e. listening to the sounds). It also ignites the emotional processing areas of the brain including the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala and cerebellum. The hippocampus is used in creating new memories and experiences associated with music. Additionally, the motor and visual cortexes are activated! It’s the motor system that allows us to pick up the beat before we even begin to embody it. We receive more motor input from playing an instrument, singing and moving our bodies. Reading music and watching movement while listening to music activates the visual cortex. Literally, the entire brain is in use!

The real magic, however, is that the brain synchronizes all of these areas when listening to music. The only other time this happens is during social interaction. Just think of the power that comes from creating music in a group setting!

A large white circle with a brain in the center. Different areas of the brain are highlighted and green music notes are within the circle.

Activation Equals Neuro Support

Our brain communicates with itself through neural pathways, i.e connections between the lobes. Think of these pathways as hiking trails. The trails that are used the most are the clearest of trees and grass. The ones that are used the least are covered in tall grasses, bushes, tree branches, etc. Music uses almost all of our brain’s “trails”, creating strong, clear pathways between sections. By having these strong neuro connections, we see increased benefits such as improved listening skills, empathy, emotional intelligence, communication, creative higher thinking, critical problem solving and more!

Music and Intellidance®

Music, movement and social interactions are the driving forces behind our Intellidance® classes. We utilize music in every aspect of class, from the welcome waltz to circle dances, lap and finger play, exploration and sensory activities. Connecting dance and music concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, learn and create using multiple senses and intelligences. By addressing the possibilities and benefits of dance and music education, Intellidance® provides an innovative approach for young children to move-to-learn and learn-to-move!

African American baby sitting and smiling while playing with a maraca in one hand.

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more FUN on purpose!

Playlist: Love Songs for Little Ones

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Need some Valentine’s Day music ideas for your Intellidance® classes? No need to worry! We’ve created the sweetest playlist for you 💖

Check out this Intellidance® Spotify Playlist: Love Songs for Little Ones!

Continually updated, this 64-minute playlist is filled with loved-themed music by some of our favorite children’s artists and great “kid” friendly covers of classic love songs.

Spread the love of dance and music this February!

More Playlists

Looking for more premade Intellidance® Spotify playlists? Check these out!

Intellidance® Moving Through Literacy

Intellidance® Dance Party Time

Intellidance® Summertime Fun

Intellidance® Emergency Sub Lesson Plan: Space and Sound

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more FUN on purpose!

The Benefits of Going Barefoot

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Why Kids Should Kick Off Their Shoes and Play

Did you know that playing in bare feet helps with brain development in toddlers and kids? It’s a great way for them to develop sensory skills, understand spatial awareness, strengthen their feet and improve coordination and balance. Studies show that walking, playing and dancing without shoes provide exponential benefits for young kiddos!

Bare Feet and Cognitive Development

Research has shown that children’s cognitive function can be improved by playing and dancing on bare feet. Our feet are extremely sensitive and dancing barefoot can be wonderfully stimulating for our littlest dancers. It provides fun and engaging opportunities for them to explore their environment while improving their sensory processing skills. This can ultimately lead to the development of higher brain centers! Just think, playing in bare feet can be responsible for developing emotional control, problem-solving, language, social skills and self-assurance. Additionally, shoes can limit the sensory input received by kids’ feet, which can cause them to struggle with balance, coordination and agility. 

One major worry parents and caregivers have about their children running and playing without shoes is safety. This is a valid concern! Playing outside without shoes puts kids at risk of stepping in dog waste, broken glass, bugs, branches and twigs, and other environmental factors such as snow, ice and cold weather. However, children who play barefoot (inside and outside) develop a stronger sense of awareness of their surroundings, allowing them to notice unsafe objects quicker than those in shoes, and have tougher feet. Furthermore, kids are more likely to touch their faces, mouths and eyes with their hands than with their feet, so germs are spread more easily.

Foot Development

Oftentimes, shoes inhibit and restrict movement when children’s feet are continuing to grow, strengthen and develop. Baby and toddler’s feet are mostly made of cartilage, with bone developing over the first few years of life. As cartilage is extremely moldable, children whose feet are in restrictive shoes are not able to develop the flexibility needed for proper foot development. Kids need to walk, run, tiptoe and jump in order to gain the strength and mobility needed to support their growing bodies. This is done by exploring the world without shoes and allowing their feet to experience different textures and shapes.

Balance and Coordination

Additionally, it has been found that playing on bare feet can help improve coordination and balance. Balance and coordination are not only essential for physical growth and sports performance but also play an important role in intellectual development. As discussed above, shoes limit proprioceptive and vestibular input, which are required for balance and coordination. As babies, toddlers and children play and dance on uneven surfaces, their shoes do the balance work for them instead of their sensory systems developing appropriately. In the long run, balance and coordination are needed for tasks like reading and writing, which are essential for learning.

So, encourage your young dancers to take off their shoes and play! Not only will they have tons of fun, but they will also be helping their cognitive development. Barefoot play has been shown to help kids learn important problem-solving skills and think more creatively.

More Intellidance® Fun!

Check out our latest blog post series on baby motor development for 6 months, 7-9 months and 10-12 months old!

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Look at me! I’m 10-12 months old!

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Supporting and understanding babies creeping and crawling development at 10-12 months of age with Intellidance®.

Look at me! I'm 10-12 months old! African American baby with a blue shirt is smiling and holding hands with his caregiver. A thick orange stripe behind the baby divides the image into two with an orange background.

From 6 to 12 months, a baby’s perception of the world changes dramatically! Babies begin moving about their surroundings on their own, utilizing different locomotor movements instead of relying on their caregivers. The feeling of independence provides them with the opportunity to discover their bodies and the world around them, as well as to learn new things.

Between 10-12 months old, babies are really starting to explore their motor skills! During this time they’ll start to crawl, pull up onto their feet and even take a few steps! It’s truly amazing to watch as they gain confidence in their ability to move around. If you missed our previous posts, you can read about babies’ creeping and crawling development at 6 months old here, and from 7-9 months old here.

Motor Milestones at 10-12 Months Old

At 10-12 months, babies can…

  • Cruise around furniture
  • Walk while holding onto their caregiver’s hands
  • Climb upstairs
  • Stand with bent knees
  • Take their first steps

Please note – Every child develops differently. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your pediatrician.

Intellidance® activities are designed to nurture the physical, emotional and cognitive development of our youngest dancers. Take a look at how our activities directly aid in crawling development for 10-12 month olds.

Finding Balance

Before babies begin walking, they must first learn how to balance themselves and maintain their orientation in space. This process is known as vestibular input or input from the vestibular system, which is a system of nerves located in the inner ear. Vestibular input helps us to maintain our balance and coordination while standing, walking and running. In babies, this system is not fully developed until around 6 months old and it can take up to 9 months for them to gain the necessary strength and coordination to walk.

Intellidance® Activity: Here We Go Bumpy Boo

Knee bounce activities, such as Here We Go Bumpy Boo, are a great way to incorporate vestibular input into your Intellidance® Babies Classes. This activity is beneficial for balance and coordination, which are both important for a baby’s development as they learn to walk. The up-and-down movement of the knee bounce also helps to activate the vestibular system, which is important for balance. Overall, this is a fun and safe activity for babies that encourages strength, balance and coordination.

Climbing and Cruising

Babies’ climbing development is an amazing thing to behold! From their first attempts to pull themselves up to standing and eventually taking their first steps, watching a baby grow and develop their climbing skills is truly a remarkable experience. Not only does climbing help babies to become physically stronger and more coordinated, but it also plays an important role in their cognitive and social-emotional development. It encourages problem-solving, creativity and perseverance as babies practice and perfect their skills. Plus, climbing is a great way for babies to explore and interact with their environment. 

Intellidance® Activity: Obstacle Courses

Using an obstacle course is a great to way get creative in class and bring focus to your littlest dancer’s climbing skills. Remember: obstacle courses at this age don’t need to be elaborate! Stack a few mats for babies to practice climbing over and cruise along. Combine it with a tunnel to create over-and-under experience babies are sure to love.

Cross-Lateral Movements

It’s so exciting when babies begin to walk and toddle around! Cross-lateral movement is an important part of that development and can help to build skills like balance, coordination and agility. Cross-lateral movement is when one side of the body works while the other side is resting. It can help babies to transfer weight from one side to the other and involves activities like reaching, stepping and even crawling. There are lots of fun ways to help babies practice cross-lateral movement, like crawling through a tunnel, stepping over and around obstacles, and swinging their arms when walking.

Intellidance® Activity: Shoe a Little Horsey

The Shoe a Little Horsey activity reinforces crossing the midline, moving opposite sides of the body at the same time and building the neuro pathways between the left and right sides of the brain.

By providing babies with plenty of opportunities to explore, practice and learn through movement, we can help them develop the skills they need to walk.

For more baby activities, check out the Babies Playlist on our YouTube Channel.

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Look at me! I’m 7-9 months old!

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Supporting and understanding babies creeping and crawling development at 7-9 months of age with Intellidance®.

From 6 to 12 months, a baby’s perception of the world changes dramatically! Babies begin moving about their surroundings on their own, utilizing different locomotor movements instead of relying on their caregivers. The feeling of independence provides them with the opportunity to discover their bodies and the world around them, as well as to learn new things.

Babies typically begin crawling between 6-11 months old, with 50% of babies crawling by 8 months. If you missed our post on 6-month motor development, check it out here. There are tons of great nuggets of information on spinal development, rolling side to side and tummy time.

Creeping, crawling and toddling require babies to use their increasing strength and coordination through body and brain integration. As both sides of the body move in harmony, babies need to integrate their expanding strength and coordination. This cross-lateral body movement also aids brain expansion and growth!

7-9 month old baby crawling towards the camera. She is wearing a blue shirt and smiling.

Motor Milestones at 7-9 Months Old

At 7-9 months old, babies can:

  • Sit independently
  • Crawl on their belly
  • Catch themselves when they lose balance while sitting
  • Hold their head up in any position
  • Belly creep
  • Crawl on hands and knees

Please note – Every child develops differently. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to your pediatrician.

Intellidance® activities are designed to nurture the physical, emotional and cognitive development of our youngest dancers. Take a look at how our activities directly aid in crawling development for 7-9 month olds.

Belly Creeping

Belly creeping, also called commando crawling, is moving with the belly still on the floor and is an essential precursor to crawling. The increased strength developed from pushing themselves backward on their tummy allows babies to gain the strength needed to rock side to side and alternate moving their legs. Pressing themselves up with their arms has given them the arm strength needed to press up onto all fours.

Babies quickly realize that belly creeping (with bare toes tucked under) will move them forward toward the object or person they want.

Intellidance® Activity: Fuzzy Caterpillar (with crawling)

Fuzzy Caterpillar is a wonderful activity that progresses from the rocking back and forth motion babies begin around 6 months all the way to creeping and crawling.

Cross-Lateral Movements

A new cross-lateral pattern (opposite sides of the body working together) is needed to maintain balance in a crawling movement. This movement pattern will be slow and a bit awkward at first, but over the next few months, babies gain coordination and motor around their surroundings at a surprising speed. This is the time baby-proofing and safety gates become a must in the studio!

Intellidance® Activity: Shoe a Little Horsey

The Shoe a Little Horsey activity reinforces crossing the midline, moving opposite sides of the body at the same time and building the neuro pathways between the left and right sides of the brain.

Eye Tracking

Movement specialists agree crawling is a very important stage of development that is not to be rushed. When babies move in this cross-lateral movement pattern, they’re not only coordinating both sides of their body but also integrating both sides of their brain! Additionally, they’re coordinating their vertical and horizontal eye movements which are the beginning foundations for reading, writing and sensory processing.

Intellidance® Activity: Grand Old Duke of York – Eye Tracking

Using egg shakers, rattles, scarves, or a soft toy work great for this activity! Moving the prop up, down and to the sides assists in developing verticle and horizontal eye tracking.

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and continue dancing, moving and singing at home!

Look at me! I’m 6 months old!

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

Supporting and understanding babies creeping and crawling development at six months of age with Intellidance®

From 6 to 12 months, a baby’s perception of the world changes dramatically! Babies begin moving about their surroundings on their own, utilizing different locomotor movements instead of relying on their caregivers. The feeling of independence provides them with the opportunity to discover their bodies and the world around them, as well as to learn new things.

Creeping and Crawling

Before you can run, you must walk. And before you can walk, you must crawl. But, what comes before crawling? A lot! Babies must progress through several developmental milestones before successfully creeping and crawling. Babies typically begin crawling between 6-11 months old, with 50% of babies crawling by 8 months. Different muscle groups must work in unison before crawling can occur, including shoulders, spinal extensors, core, neck and arms.

Prior to crawling, spinal extension, rolling from front to back and back to front, pushing themselves backward while on their belly and pressing up into a plank all need to occur. As both sides of the body move in harmony, crawling and creeping require babies to integrate their expanding strength and coordination. This cross-lateral body movement also aids brain expansion and growth!

Intellidance® activities are designed to nurture the physical, emotional and cognitive development of our youngest dancers. Take a look at how our activities directly aid in crawling development.

Spinal Extension

As babies develop core and spinal strength, tummy time on the floor in dance class ensures their success in learning new locomotor skills. At 6 months you’ll notice that babies begin to do an “airplane fly”. Their spine is fully extended as they lift their legs and arms off the ground, requiring their core muscles to engage. This movement strengthens core muscles and provides greater support for the spine.

Intellidance® Activity: Magic Carpet Ride

Lay your baby front on top of a sturdy sheet or receiving blanket. Holding two corners of the blanket the caregiver gently pulls along a smooth surfaced floor (kitchen floors work very well). To maintain balance, the baby may extend into the airplane position. Start by moving in straight pathways. Once they are comfortable with this game and have increased their core stability, begin to expand the pathway into curved and zigzag pathways, always moving at a gentle, slow pace.

Rolling Back to Front and Front to Back

After they’ve mastered foundational movements and have spent time developing muscular strength, babies will begin to add this spinal extension to their side lying, giving them the control they need to completely roll from back to front and front to back.

Intellidance® Activity: London Bridge is Falling Down

Lay your baby on its back facing you. Taking their left hand and foot, gently guide their left body side towards the right, rolling them onto their right side. Then, guide their left body side back to neutral on their back. Repeat using their right hand and foot.

Pressing Up to Plank & Sliding Backward

As babies explore rolling movements, they will also begin using different push patterns. They may discover if they push with both hands their body slides backward through space. Be prepared for frustration with this movement pattern as rather than moving toward the object of interest, they are moving away from it.

Babies will also begin to coordinate their upper and lower body in a pull-push movement, pressing up onto their hands and tucking their bare toes under. They will enjoy this feeling of stability so be sure to give them ample barefoot time.

Once they have mastered the pull-push position, they may also explore changing levels by pushing themselves up into a plank position and then dropping back down to the ground. Essentially, they’re doing a pushup! Isn’t it amazing how strong they are? All of these movements prepare them for the belly creeping and crawling they will begin to explore in the next few months.

Intellidance® Activity: Fuzzy Caterpillar

Lay on your tummy pressing up into your hands, tucking your toes under facing your baby while singing her the Fuzzy Caterpillar Song. See if she will copy your pull-push movement.

It’s amazing what they can achieve when you sing, move and explore together in dance class!

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and continue dancing, moving and singing at home!

Favorite Books

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog.

These are a few of our favorite… BOOKS!

We love how books can spark imagination during dance class and inspire creative lesson planning. Our list of favorite books narrows down the hundreds of titles out there. There are some books you can use in class to emphasize your lesson plan, while others can be read at home to gain a deeper understanding of your dancers. You can view the full list with links to purchase here.

Beloved Children’s Books

Using beloved children’s books as part of your lesson plans can help students learn concepts like Body Parts, Emotions and Locomotor Movement Skills. A few we enjoy incorporating into class include From Head to Toe by Eric Carle, The Way I Feel by Janan Cain and Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton!

Dance-Inspired Books

Dance-inspired books are an excellent way to teach your students about diversity, overcoming challenges, reinforcing specific dance steps and igniting creativity, as well as preparing students for their first dance class and recitals. You can easily prepare a lesson plan based on any of these dance-inspired books and create a class your students will love! A few books we enjoy include Boys Dance by John Robert Allman, Bella Bunny by Nina Koch, Tallulah’s Tap Shoes by Marilyn Singer and Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreas & Guy Parker-Rees.

Books For You to Read

We believe the key to being a teaching artist is understanding the “why” behind the “what”. Learning and absorbing information are always our top priorities! A few of our favorite books that keep our wheels turning include Brain-Compatible Dance Education by Anne Green Gilbert, This is Your Brain on Music by Daniel J. Levitin, A Moving Child is a Learning Child by Gill Connell and Cheryl McCarthy and Anatomy of Movement by Blandine Calais-Germain.

As Dr. Suess says, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” We hope our favorite books inspire you to read, learn and ignitie creavitity within your students!

More Fun on Purpose!

For more fun on purpose, check out our Moving Through Literacy Spotify Playlist!

Learn more about what makes Intellidance® unique

The foundation of the Intellidance® Method is the combination of dance and music concepts, identifying specific vocabulary in dance and music, and developing the understanding of both through the connection between concepts. These connected concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, practice, and create using multiple senses and intelligences. This is what makes the Intellidance® Method so unique!

Interested in learning more? Check out our website to continue reading about Intellidance® Method.

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