FB Pixel Tracker

Reverse the Obstacle Course

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

Reverse the Obstacle Course in white lettering over orange rectangle. Cartoon girl doing a cartwheel, boy going through a play tunnel and boy crawling.

If you utilize obstacle courses in your early childhood music and dance classes, (which we highly recommend you do!), partway through, have your class switch the direction they are moving around the obstacle course.

Balancing Skills

Reversing the direction supports children in working on balancing skills on both the right side and the left side of their bodies.

For example: rolling along with mats in the obstacle course. Most children will lay on their belly and roll towards their left side, using their right side to initiate the roll. By switching the direction of the obstacle course partway through, children will roll towards their right side now using their left side to initiate the roll, balancing the work on both sides of the body!

Spatial Awareness

This reversal of direction also supports younger children’s spatial awareness development as they problem solve how to move through each station from a new perspective. This may seem simple for older children or adults but for our littlest dancers, these are skills they need to practice. Later, this skill transfers over to their ability to face any direction while performing a dance- so you’ll see these benefits in your recitals and performances, too!

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.

Playlist: Summertime Fun!

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

Looking to refresh your summer dance playlists? Take a look at this NEW “Summertime Fun!” Spotify Playlist created by Intellidance® Instructor and Advisory Panel Member, Liahona Walus.

Sunshine, bike riding, surfing and more!

Summer-themed classes and camps are always a favorite with little dancers! There’s something about relaxed summer days that bring out some of the best creative moments in students.

Enjoy this sunny Spotify playlist, filled with 27 songs for all ages.

Just click on the play button in the top left-hand corner to open the playlist in Spotify. Happy dancing!

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.

“Where are the Bees?” Coloring Page

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

Did your students enjoy last week’s activity “Where are the Bees?” Finger Play Activity for Young Children? Then they’re going to love this week’s coordinating “Where are the Bees?” coloring page!

Just click the image to download your PDF file!

Why we love coloring pages

Coloring pages are a great resource to reinforce the skills learned in class and allow students to bring the activity home to delight in during the week! This coloring page is great for dance, music, or preschool teachers looking to support developmental movement patterns and brain-body integration in a fun, seasonal way.

Are you looking for more FUN on purpose?

Visit our YouTube channel for hundreds of activities

Download our Paint the Rainbow coloring page

Complete the Pool Noodle BrainDance™ Activity Page

Intellidance® Method

Intellidance® is an international early childhood dance and music program that combines movement, music, rhymes and sensory activities to support children as they grow! From tummy time to dancing on their own, Intellidance® promotes brain and body development. Our certified teachers strive to nurture young families through our FUN on purpose methodology.

Where Are The Bees: Spring Finger Play Poem for Young Children

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

Buzzzzzzzz! Did you hear that? Buzzzzzzz! It’s coming from the bees!

We all know that April showers bring May flowers. But, did you know that May flowers bring June bees? Here is a fun Bumble Bee finger play rhyme to try in your classroom to support fine motor development and counting skills.

This engaging activity is a great introduction to any spring or summer-themed class!

Looking for more fun dance and music activities?

Are you looking for more spring/summer-themed activities for your Intellidance® classes? Check out these fun resources!

Paint The Rainbow Tactile BrainMove Coloring Page

Pool Noodle BrainDance™

Pool Noodle BrainDance™ Activity Sheet

Salty Watercolor Line Art Activity Using visual art to help teach dance and music concepts

Our YouTube page is filled to the brim with activity videos for Babies, Tots, Tykes and Kids! Search for class ideas and share the page with parents for at-home activities.

What is Intellidance®

Intellidance® is an international early childhood dance and music program that combines movement, music, rhymes, and sensory activities to support children as they grow! From tummy time to dancing on their own, Intellidance® promotes brain and body development. Our certified teachers strive to nurture young families through our FUN on purpose methodology.

Explore Dance Concepts Through Visual Art at Summer Dance Camps

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

Have you been searching for a meaningful yet engaging art project for your summer dance camps? Look no further! Explore dance concepts through visual art at your summer dance camps with this creative activity!

Image with 5 small images within it. Top left is paper with glue lines/pathways. Top right is young girl using cotton swab to add color to her activity. Middle left is younger girl using cotton swab to add paint to her activity. Middle right is young girl with her activity. There are multiple colored lines on her activity. Bottom left is the completed activity. Multiple, bright colors mix together on the paper with raised lines and pathways created by the glue.

Conceptual Education

Conceptual education centers on big-picture ideas and learning how to organize and categorize information. Conceptual learning focuses on understanding broader principles or ideas (what we refer to as “concepts”) that can later be applied and connected to a variety of settings and situations.

Connect Dance to Visual Art

PATHWAY in dance can be connected with LINE in art! In dance, we can move in curvy, straight or zig-zag pathways. In art, we use straight or curved lines. By exploring LINE in art with young children we provide them with a concrete visual representation of the PATHWAYS we have been exploring in dance.

Salty Watercolor Line Art

Supplies:

  • White craft glue
  • Salt
  • Cotton swab
  • Watercolor or pallet paint
  • Baking tray
  • Paper towels

Directions:

  1. Using white craft glue, create a PATHWAY of LINES on your paper (I like to use watercolor paper).
  2. While the glue is still wet, sprinkle the glue with salt until the entire line is covered. (Pro tip! Do this OVER a baking tray to keep the mess in one place and to reuse extra salt).
  3. Using a cotton swab saturated in water, use watercolor or pallet paint and gently dab the paint on the salt. Watch in AMAZEMENT as the paint travels along the salt Pathway/Line.
  4. Optional- Paint the SPACE between the LINES and let dry.

Additional Activities

Check out these additional activity pages that are the perfect addition to your summer dance camps and classes!

Pool Noodle BrainDance™ Activity Page

Spring Brain Moves Tactile Activity Page

Enjoy!

ECC Playlist: Directions and Relationships

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

Whether you’re in the dance studio or school classroom, connecting dance and music concepts provide opportunities for children to explore, discover, learn and create using multiple senses and intelligences. It increases self-esteem and confidence. It is holistic, beautiful and child-focused. Regardless of what paths and interests our students choose to pursue, we want what they have learned in our classes to be valuable.

Today we’re sharing with you an Early Childhood Classroom (ECC) Spotify Playlist created specifically for the concepts of directions (forwards, backwards, sideways, up, and down) and relationships (over, under, on, off, around, through, beside, in front, behind). This playlist includes 35 engaging songs that will have your students moving forwards, backward, over, under and more!

If you’re curious about the ECC School Teacher Certification, take a look at our previous post HERE.

Spotify Playlist logo, intellidance® logo "Directions and Relationships Early Childhood Classroom" written in orange and blue. Cartoon graphic of young boy entering and exiting a green and yellow tunnel. Image has a yellow outline and yellow dots in the background.
Click the image to access the Spotify playlist

Directions and Relationships

Directions

Young child dressed in a pink tutu holds hands with an adult while walking on colored floor dots.

Direction describes the way a body leads or intends to move through space. Children have explored directions since birth; however, they’re now ready to label these movements and explore and practice movement skills in new directions.

Directions relate to spatial awareness skills and will increase your child’s emerging confidence as a mover!

Did you know…?

Exploring the concepts of direction helps children work on body control and coordination, as well as supports problem-solving skills.

Relationships

Cultivating safe, loving relationships is the core of the Intellidance® programs, and it’s a movement concept we love to explore!

Relationships describe how our bodies move in relation to our own body parts, other people and the space. Discovering various relationships between people, body parts and props supports a child’s physical, cognitive and emotional development.

Did you know…?

Exploring the concept of relationships supports children’s ability to successfully and independently relate to others in a group setting.

Play at home

Here are two great activities that support the concepts of directions and relationships for at-home play!

Rocks and tunnels: Explore relationships between people by playing “rocks and tunnels” with your child. Make a small “rock” shape and ask your child to go over and around you. Make a “tunnel” shape so your child can explore going under you

Directions Red Light, Green Light: add a fun new twist to this favorite game by adding a direction cue each time you say green light. For example, drive backward – green light! Your child will love this extra challenge.

Pool Noodle Desk BrainDance™ Activity Page

Written by Karly Pierce Lystad on . Posted in Public Blog, Teacher Tips.

If your students enjoyed last week’s “Pool Noodle Desk BrainDance™” movement break, they’re going to LOVE this fun maze! Help the pool noodle find its friends so they can do the Pool Noodle Desk BrainDance™! Just click the image to download. If you want to watch last week’s activity demo video, you can find it here!

Learn more about BrainDance™ and why you need to utilize it in your classes in our previous post.

We love maze activities, and here’s why:

Maze activities are a huge hit for kids! In addition to being a great challenge to complete, they also have added benefits:

• Develops visual motor skills
• Improves fine motor skills
• Enhances problem-solving abilities
• Increases concentration abilities

Enjoy!

Pool Noodle Desk BrainDance™ Classroom Movement Break

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

Do you need a quick movement break for your 1st through 3rd graders in the classroom? Give our Pool Noodle Desk BrainDance™ a try!

This activity takes less than 10 minutes for your students to complete right at their desks making it perfect for brain and movement breaks. Your students will benefit from moving through the 8 developmental patterns of BrainDance™

  1. Breath
  2. Tactile
  3. Core-Distal
  4. Head-Tail
  5. Upper-Lower
  6. Body Sides
  7. Cross-Lateral
  8. Vestibular

This fun activity supports children’s brain-body integration, stress reduction, alignment & posture and sensory processing.

Don’t have pool noodles? Use pencils, paper rolls, boom whackers or rhythm sticks. The possibilities are endless!

Song Credits: Atlas by Eric Chappelle from BrainDance Music https://www.westmusic.com/music-books-resources/music-classroom-books-materials/movement-dance/braindance-music-851895

Check out our blog post about BrainDance™ and Brain Moves HERE

For more information on Anne Green Gilbert’s BrainDance™ visit: www.creativedance.org.

Intellidance® is an international early childhood dance and music program that combines movement, music, rhymes, and sensory activities to support children as they grow! From tummy time to dancing on their own, Intellidance® promotes brain and body development. Our certified teachers strive to nurture young families through our FUN on purpose methodology. For more information on our teacher certification program or to offer a class in your area please visit www.intellidancemethod.com

The Early Childhood Classroom (ECC) Certification

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

It’s apparent that there is a gap in students’ ability to focus, self-regulate, perform developmentally appropriate motor skills and respond appropriately to social interactions. To top it off, behavior has become a major challenge. The Early Childhood Classroom certification provides a brain-compatible curriculum to help bridge the gap and accelerate the onboarding of skills.

Intellidance® Method founder, Jessica Griffin, walks us through the student benefits, core curriculum standards met by the program, usages and expectations. The Early Childhood Classroom certification and curriculum are intended for school teachers and daycare providers.

Imagine if…

  • Your students could experience the benefits and joy of dance, music, and play daily in your classroom!
  • You had a fun, yet effective, curriculum that nurtures cognitive, social-emotional, and cognitive development.
  • You didn’t have to spend hours creating lesson plans and teaching resources!
  • You could truly make a difference in your students’ lives!

YOU CAN!

What is the ECC Certification?

The Intellidance® Method for the Early Childhood Classroom Certification trains professionals in the best practices in early childhood dance and music education.

Using our simple, self-paced, online course platform, you will receive training on how to structure, plan, and implement developmentally appropriate dance and music programming for children ages 3-6. 

The Intellidance® Method for the Early Childhood Classroom curriculum directly supports the learning outcomes for many International Early Childhood Curriculums!

Who is the ECC Certification for?

Anyone Who Teaches Children Ages 3-6!

If you are a Preschool or Kindergarten Teacher, or a Childcare Professional, the Intellidance® ECC program provides you with developmentally appropriate creative dance and music activities you can easily integrate into your current classroom schedule and routine! Teach physical literacy alongside your early literacy and child development goals!

If you are a Dance or Music Specialist, the Intellidance® ECC program provides you with a complete dance and music curriculum! Teach the program with our ready-to-go lesson plans or mix and match your own activities with the Intellidance® programming! Both dance and music techniques and concepts can be taught and reinforced through Intellidance®

What’s included in the ECC Certification?

  • Ready-To-Go Curriculum For Ages 3-6! Immediately access our complete ready-to-go curriculum including Progressive Lesson Plans for Fall, Winter, and Spring, the ECC Activity Guide with hundreds of additional activities, and Lesson Plan Templates to create your own customized lessons.
  • Intellidance® ECC Activity Video Library! Access HUNDREDS of pre-recorded, ready-to-use Intellidance® activity videos that can be used as teacher tutorials or can be played in class for your students! (We love using pre-recorded video activities on days our voices need a break or for substitute teacher plans!)
  • Intellidance® ECC Teaching Resource Pack! Digital downloads for you to print and use with your students while implementing the Intellidance® curriculum, including the Intellidance® Posters, Coloring Sheets, Movement Cards & More!
  • Intellidance® ECC Teacher Certification Courses! Our simple, self-paced, online courses will take you through the theory, holistic benefits, structures, and implementation of the Intellidance® Method and ECC Curriculum we have been teaching educators around the world! Once you have completed your self-paced courses you will be granted your Intellidance® ECC Teacher Certificate!
  • Intellidance® Community Membership! Access to our private international online Intellidance® Teacher Community! Continue to learn and collaborate with teachers from around the world using the Intellidance® Method.

“Through Intellidance®, I gained a whole repertoire of activities that I could use to broaden my students’ understanding of core music concepts through kinaesthetic means. I have yet to introduce an Intellidance® activity to my students that is not met with enthusiasm and requests to be repeated in future classes.”

Courtney Richard Certified Intellidance® Teacher/ K-6 Music Specialist

Intellidance® is for everyBODY!

We believe ALL human beings are born with the capacity to dance. Every single one… even those who feel rhythmically challenged. Intellidance® activities are not based on formal dance techniques. It’s based on foundational physical literacy skills. Don’t let the fear of having 2 left feet hold you back from bringing the joy of dance and music to your students.

Price vs Value

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

“I really want to do this! I know it would make a change in my business. I just don’t think I can afford it right now.”

How many times have you said this to yourself? Maybe, instead of looking at the price tag, we start thinking about the long-term value of your business.

Break it down

Let’s say you decide to purchase the Early Years Teacher Certification. The VALUE of what you’ll get is a minimum of $5400, but you’ll only invest $1,800 USD. Your value includes:

  • 4 Comprehensive Curriculums for Ages 0-5 VALUE: $1,000+ USD
  • Professional Marketing and Branding Materials VALUE: $2,000+ USD
  • 100+ Professional Program Images VALUE: $1,200+ USD
  • Promotional Program Videos VALUE: $1,200+ USD
  • Ongoing Professional Development, a Community of Support, Hundreds of Work Hours Saved VALUE: PRICELESS

That’s a value of $5,400++ USD! We challenge you to find another early childhood dance and music program that offers you as much value and support as Intellidance®.

Let’s take it a step further …

If you charge $180 USD per student for a 9-week session, you only need 10 students (attending only 1 session of 1 program) to completely pay for your certification. Every student in every other session is pure profit after that!

By offering Intellidance® classes at your studio, you’re opening your doors to the youngest dancers before anyone else gets to them. You create a safe place for new parents to congregate with other new parents going though the same things they are experiencing. You provide a multi-sensory experience that helps the brain organize and achieve new skill development and milestones. You fill un-used space in your studio, generating new revenue opportunities. You become a part of each child’s foundation and influence their path for their future. You connect the dots to help parents see that dance is a necessity. You build loyalty and strengthen student retention…and that’s priceless!