What can your 2-3 year old do?

[onefunkymama]

I write action songs for children but want to be sure that they are suitable for children of 2-3 years. Can you little ones hop? jump? run? etc etc. What can't they do? Thanks

ds can't hop and he is 3

I don't think many kids can hop (DD has only just learnt and she's 4.) What things does he find easy?

2 year olds mostly can't hop or jump. they can run but often fall over.

DS2 is 2.7 he can jump easily but hopping is tricky.

IME they love songs like 'sleeping bunnies' where they have to start off lying or sitting down and then jump up and go crazy

What physical actions do you think they'd lke/ enjoy doing to music?

Sleepy bunnies and dingle dange scarecrow are firm favorates here too. The song I'm working on has starts and stops to the actions I just want to be sure its not too hard!

Can they side step?

spinning round
flapping arms and legs
touching body parts on command
Shouting at specific times in the music.
Closing their eyes and pretending to be asleep.
Holding hands and dragging each other around
Wandering off to find their juice.

2 - not likely
3 - maybe

they are so variable, to be honest.

My ds1 could do things at 2 that his mate couldn't do at 4!

lol - that sounds very accurate!

I guess I've got it more or less right (jump, march, wave, run, and the rather more tricky side step!) I'll see how they get on next week!

Some of the parents of the children in my classes seem to think their little ones are capable of learning 'proper' dance moves at 2, I find that the little ones can't really dance in a complex way at this stage but thought I'd ask you guys to see if I am wrong.

It's good to have one tricky thing like the side step in there though surely? The rest sounds good too.

Btw Ds would hate the holding hands and dragging each other around thing if it were with another child but ok with an adult.

p.s. could you have a pretend to be a ..... bit too maybe e.g. pretend to be an aeroplane if it fits with the theme of the song - seems to go down well.

I agree most children won't hold hands with other children unless they are really good friends.

Ooh I like that idea, we could pretend to be all sorts

In fact you could have a whole other 'pretend to be' song ....plane, dog, cat, galloping horse, brrrrmmming car etc

I mostly see children grabbing anyone's hands and dragging them around, they aren't picky about whether they like them or not.

I might do that for the next song. The one I'm writing is a bit like musical statues, the kids have to do an action until the music stops then they have to stay very still

My DS1 is 2.3 and loves to jump (he learnt about 3 months ago so is still very keen). He likes to dance while waving his arms around madly and likes to spin in a circle til he falls over. Also things like clapping, waving, patting body parts (ie. head, shoulders, knees and toes etc).

What are you writing it for?

I teach pre-school music. My classes are very active with the kids on the go throughout (rather than sitting in a circle for half an hour which most kids seem to hate.) I like to use original music so we are not just doing Twinkle Twinkle etc which children hear all the time

Funnily enough Egg, people complain if the kids get at all dizzy so I'm cautious of twirling (although its great fun)

I have to go. Thanks for your help guys! If you have more ideas let me know.