Musical Balances

imaginative game

Develop the skills of balance, run, jump, hop and skip through music. Great to incorporate KIDDO resources, like the Balance Dice or Animal Balance Pose Diagram.

musical balances set up image
Set up

Choose a playing space large enough for children to move freely in. You will need a phone/speaker, or CD player. Some songs we like to use are: Justine Clarke songs: Roar Like a Dinosaur, Do the Hullabaloo, Everywhere’s a Dancefloor and I like to Move it from Madagascar or songs from this website: https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/campaigns-programs/munch-move-resources/music.aspx

 

How to play
Step 1:
  • Children move around the space doing the locomotor skill that you say, such as gallop, run backwards, hop etc
Step 2:
  • When the music stops, children must freeze and then go and stand on a marker and make a balance like the animal pose that you are holding up (check out our resources for a Balance Animal Poses diagram), or copy a pose
  • Ideas for poses include:
    • Turtle 
    • Giraffe
    • Snake
    • Lion
    • Dog
    • Flamingo
    • Monkey
Step 3:
  • Once everyone has balanced, play the music again and the children continue moving around the space, completing a new locomotor skill

 

Variations
Make it easier
  • You don't need to use markers, children can choose where they feel comfortable trying to balance
Make it harder
  • Stack instructions, such as "balance like a flamingo, then run to the tree and eat the leaves off the tree like a giraffe"
Activity information
Age: 2-3 years, 3-5 years, Kindergarten, Pre-Primary, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3
Equipment: Speaker & music player (optional)
Duration: 10 minutes
Skill focus
Explore these skills for teaching tips
Balancing Jumping Galloping Hopping Skipping
Skill teaching

While doing some of the standing balance poses such as the flamingo and giraffe remind children of the relevant balance teaching cues:

  1. Head up
  2. Eyes forward looking at something ahead of them e.g. tree
Activity summary
Physical literacy tips
  • Let a child have a turn at choosing an animal to balance as
  • Use music your children like - theme songs from favourite TV shows, or their EDUDance songs are good options!