Class structure
Each session is 30 minutes in duration. Starting with the dancingtots jingle, followed by a warm-up routine designed to ensure each section of the body is ready for exercise.

There are then two dance routines completed before finishing with a ‘cool down’ jingle were the children say goodbye until the following class and receive their participation stickers.

At the end of each warm-up, the children sit down and are presented with pictures on a flip chart stand representing the dances they will be performing. This helps to reduce each child’s heart rate before returning to perform the dances and also provides an awareness of the subjects involved. The children are encouraged and given the opportunity if they wish to draw one of the presented pictures on the flip chart.

Term times
There are 3 terms commencing from September:
·Autumn term (September - December)
·Winter term (January - Easter)
·Spring term (After Easter - July)

Dance routines
Two dance routines are performed weekly and are changed bi-weekly; this enables the children to remember and practise their moves in-between classes, providing the children with confidence and self-esteem for remembering dance routines previously taught.

Muscle development
The dance routines are designed to develop the muscles gradually without excessive use of one muscle area. One routine may focus on arm movement and stretching, developing the upper body muscle tone, whilst another routine may focus on their lower body muscles.

Environment
The sessions are designed around having FUN and are not structured dance sessions.  The classes are an introduction to dance providing a foundation should they wish to participate in structured dancing when older.

Dancingtots provides toddlers with the opportunity to display their imagination and creativity when performing rather than structuring each dance action. For e.g. Zoo animals, the children are shown the dance move and asked to display their animal allowing their imagination and creativity to be displayed within the group; this approach allows the children to have FUN and exercises all parts of the body whilst developing their muscle tone.

Dance themes
The dances generally reflect the time of year and what is currently topical. For example, winter term may cover dance moves around winter sports whilst focusing on flowers and sunshine throughout spring term.

The children seem to particularly enjoy themes around animals, television programmes and themes they may already be familiar with. As they are more familiar, the children appear more stimulated and consequently display increased imagination.

Education
The children are presented with pictures that represent the dance themes they will be performing. They interact with the teacher confirming their current knowledge of the pictures and listen to additional information such as the colour of the picture, or whether the object is big or small. Discussing the themes openly in front of the other children enables the children to learn from each other developing their existing knowledge.

Recognition
Children receive a sticker for their participation after each class to save on a personalised dancingtots sticker chart if they wish. In addition, if they help with the flip chart pictures they receive a helper sticker. The teacher continues to provide complimentary comments to the children throughout the session as they display creative, imaginative dances moves.

Celebration
Dancingtots recognises each toddler’s birthday by presenting a card and balloon as close to their birthday as possible.

Class information