Choosing Music for Preschool Dance Classes: What Works (and What to Avoid)

Music does half the teaching in a preschool dance class. The right track tells children when to move, when to freeze and when to calm down. The wrong one leaves you shouting over the speaker.

Here's what to look for.

A steady, moderate beat suits marching, clapping and simple steps. Faster tracks work for running and jumping, but only in short bursts. Save slow, gentle music for stretching and the goodbye.

Preschoolers lose focus quickly. Tracks of a minute or two are ideal for most activities. If a track runs long, fade it out rather than letting the activity drag.

The best preschool tracks have obvious changes children can hear: a pause to freeze, a change of section to swap movement, a count-in before they start. Lyrics that tell children what to do ("point your toes", "reach up high") are even better.

Pop songs are tempting, but many aren't written for young children. Check lyrics carefully, and remember that a song parents hear on the radio won't make your class feel special.

Playing commercial music in classes and especially at shows can need licences. Original music written for a syllabus avoids that headache.

Fumbling with a phone mid-class is when toddlers wander off. Have tracks in order, or use a player where each activity has its own play button.

Every Dancing Dots syllabus includes original music written for each activity, with tempo and cues built for ages 2–5. Teachers press play from the class guide and can save tracks for offline use. Find out more about our preschool dance programme.