The Georgia Dance Alliance teaches modern dance and hip hop to children ages 4-12, who are given professional opportunities to perform at a variety of venues, from festivals and sporting events to dance competitions. The dancers at GDA have won many awards at different competitions. Founded by a former Atlanta Falcons Cheerleader with almost two decades of dance experience, Melissa Cox wanted to create a space for young dancers to have fun while receiving professional training. The mission of her organization is to create a nurturing and encouraging environment in which children can learn to dance and share their talents with others. The GDA dancers will be visiting the Museum to perform for guests on Saturday, November 15th at 12:00 PM.
One thing we can learn from these little dancers is that physical activity is very important for children. Studies show that while structured, team sports are important to be involved in, free play activities should be part of every child’s daily routine. Physical activity helps children both physically and mentally. Physically, children develop muscle strength, keep their bones strong, and decrease body fat, leading to a steady, healthy weight. Mentally, these activities can help with self-esteem, concentration, mood swings, and even decrease anxiety and increase happiness. Games with toddlers can also help in a variety of ways, such as learning to take turns, counting, and listening, as well as developing gross motor skills.
As the weather gets colder, it is even more important to keep your children active, since they might not be playing outside as often. Outdoor activities can still be fun, such as bike riding or hiking. Taking along a healthy picnic lunch will help make a day out of it. If it is a little too chilly outside for your family, many community centers offer classes for parents and their children to take together. Parents are the best role models, so if you want to keep your child active, why not show them the way?
On days when the family is stuck in the house, there are tons of activities for you and the kids to do to have fun and get some exercise. Remember Freeze Dance? Put on some fun music and dance! When you pause the music, the little ones have to freeze in whatever position they are in. You can raise the difficulty by asking the children to freeze in poses such as animals, or for a real challenge yoga poses. Another classic is Simon Says. The leader says a command such as “Simon says hop up and down,” and the rest of the players must hop up and down. If the leader doesn’t say “Simon says” and a player does the action, he or she is out. The last player left is the new Simon.
A fun game that can be played indoors is Lava Floor. Pretend that the carpet or flooring is lava, and the children have to get around the room without touching it. Put down construction paper or set up pillows as areas the children can jump on. If you have a competitive family and some space, why not create an obstacle course or race? Set up furniture and pillows that have to be run through and around. In open areas have races, which are made more challenging by having to do so in tough positions, such as wheelbarrow and crab-walk, or hop like a bunny and waddle like a duck.
Another great idea for keeping your children active is to bring them here to The Children’s Museum! Hours of play in which they learn and move around is beneficial to them. Why not come when the dancers of Georgia Dance Alliance are here to perform?
Sources: Georgia Dance Alliance | Care.com | MommyPoppins.com
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