Teachers: we have a solution for restless, unfocused students. Take a Dance Break! A Dance Break is a free, fun activity that gets kids of all ages moving in the classroom. We do the work for you! Videos teach students kid-friendly dance moves to popular songs to get them up and active. After just 8-10 minutes, they'll be back at their desks, calmer and ready to learn.
Students' physical activity has been associated with better cognitive performance, so incorporating Dance Breaks into your classroom routine will positive academic effects beyond just physical fitness.
Dance breaks get students active and moving, breaking up their day spent mostly sitting. While giving the mind a break, students are actively keeping their bodies healthy. Dance breaks are good break for the teacher too! Instructional videos lead the classroom, so the teacher doesn't have to.
No, Dance Break videos are free to watch and use. Feel free to share them too!
It's important to set up rules and be consistent. Assign spaces to the students so they know exactly where to go when it is time for a Dance Break. Use similar phrases and signals each time to start and stop efficiently. The stretching component at the end will help calm the students before returning to their seats to get back to learning.
All students can participate to their own ability and make modifications if necessary. The moves do not require dance training, so they are made for all skill levels.
The instructional videos are each 1-2 minutes long and the actual songs take 4 to 5 minutes to complete. This means that the break lasts between 8 and 10 minutes. Once the students are familiar with the moves, you can use only the dance video, which will shorten the process.
Many teachers take a Dance Break once or twice a day, but feel free to adjust to your individual classroom needs.
The Dance Breaks can be done without the music, follow the moves on the screen and you will still get the benefits of the break.
Students of all ages will benefit from aerobic moves in the videos. Dance moves are simple enough that all school-aged children will be able to follow along.
No. Dance Breaks can be done anywhere. Try them at home too for some fun, simple, and free physical activity.
Our research shows that 93% of students "liked" or "loved" Dance Breaks. But for those students who may not be enthusiastic, allow students to take turns picking songs, this will get them involved and excited. Use positive reinforcement during the activity to let them know that they are doing a great job. Assign a student dance leader and be a role model - do the moves along with the students to make them feel comfortable.
Students can do their own interpretations of the movements as they become more comfortable. Complexity can be increased by adding arm and leg movements together.