How Do You Teach The Hat Dance To Young Children?
Want to encourage creative expression in children? Get them moving to the music with your own version of a popular folk dance. Teach them the Hat Dance to promote creativity, rhythm and group dancing. You can model this activity on the Mexican Hat Dance using authentic music from Mexico, or choose any other lively music. Let the children make “dancing sticks” for a festive touch. Add a sombrero, or any big hat, and let the fun begin. Make “dancing sticks” with empty paper towel rolls and long crepe paper streamers glued to one end. Put a large hat or sombrero in the center of the dancing area and surround it with the “dancing sticks.” Have the children hold hands and form a big circle around the hat and sticks. Start the music and have the children begin walking sideways around the hat, clapping to the music. They can skip, hop or do a simple dance step, such as right, left, right, slide, right, depending on the age of the children. Call out a child’s name and have that child come to t
