Creative Movement and Dance for Nurseries

These fun movement session for Sgoil Araich and Nurseries will develop musical and rhythmical analysis, creativity, focus, and motor skills. The workshops will be delivered in English by Arts Worker Catriona Hill in your own Nursery / Sgoil Araich venue in Lewis or Harris.  Various dates and times are available. The session is aimed at age 3 – 5, however can be adapted for baby and toddler rooms in the childcare centres.  All you need is plenty of space to move around.

Date: various dates and times available
Language: English
Suitable for: Nurseries and Sgoil Araich groups
duration: up to 1 hr
Cost: £75 (payment by invoice prior to the session)

Email catriona@anlanntair.com to book a session for your Nursery / Sgoil Araich.  Choose any of the following themes:

Animals
In this session we will move as different kinds of animals and explore the environments they might live in – from house pets to jungle animals and sea creatures. We will learn about unique animal movements while moving our bodies in a fun and creative way.

The Body in Motion
This session will get our bodies moving from our heads all the way down to our toes, exploring fine and gross motor skills as we go. We will work on a range of physical developmental skills such as coordination and balance while moving safely within the space.

Bugs & Insects
Get wriggling like worms and flying like butterflies in this creative dance session. We will use movement to explore and expand our knowledge of bugs and insects while developing gross motor skills like balancing and jumping as well as fine motor skills like grabbing and pinching. This session will also develop spatial awareness.

Ceilidh / St Andrew’s Day
Put your dancing feet on with this dance & movement session inspired by Ceilidh dance steps, music, and rhythms. We will learn some basic Ceilidh dance steps and beats while also developing our coordination, counting, and musical analysis. The session will finish with our very own Ceilidh dance working with partners and as a larger group.

The Circus
Have you ever wanted to run off and join the circus? This movement and dance session will allow us to create our very own circus in the nursery/playgroup. We will try out lots of movement that we might see at a circus from swinging and balancing to jumping and dancing. The session will ignite our imaginations using engaging activities and familiar music.

Fairytales & Fantasy
Be transported into a fairytale in this dance & movement session. We will explore characters like knights and princesses, dragons and elves and journey through a fantasy landscape. Will we find a castle? Who might live in the fairytale forest? Are we brave enough to enter the deep, dark cave? Let your imaginations run wild!

Fireworks / Bonfire Night
In this dance & movement session we will be introduced to the concept of Fireworks. It can be delivered any time of year but works well between November and December when there are lots of fireworks displays happening. We will use creative movement, songs, and props to describe what they might look and sound like. This session will challenge gross motor skills and spatial awareness.

Giraffes Can’t Dance
The much-loved picture book “Giraffes Can’t Dance” by Giles Andreae explores what it means to be yourself and dance to your own beat. We will read the story together and explore different styles of dance and movement while also allowing time for free expression to some fun music. This session will develop musical and rhythmical analysis, creativity, focus, and motor skills.

The Gruffalo / An Gruffalo
A creative dance & movement session exploring the story of The Gruffalo. We will read through the story, followed by games and dance and movement activities that explore characters and places that are mentioned in the book. This session will challenge our creativity and expression and invites us to move in imaginative ways.

Happy to be Me / Cho Sona Ri Brog
A creative dance & movement session exploring the themes in the story Happy to be Me (Cho Sona Ri Brog). We will focus on various body parts and use familiar songs as well as maybe learn some new ones. We also focus on our senses and relationships within dance.

The Jungle
A creative dance & movement session that takes us deep into the jungle. We will explore the jungle and meet the many animals who live there, having fun mimicking their movement and perhaps creating some of our own. This session will challenge our knowledge of the jungle as we learn some new things. This session can also be adapted to suit the theme of Rainforests, Safari, and Zoos.

Outer Space
A creative dance & movement session that takes us on an adventure to Outer Space. We will explore the stars and the planets and learn some fun things about space while moving our bodies in a fun, creative, and healthy way.

Peter Pan
A creative dance & movement session exploring the theme of Peter Pan. We will read through the story, followed by games and dance and movement activities that explore characters and places that are mentioned in the book. This session will challenge our creativity and imagination.

The Seasons: Spring
A creative dance & movement session exploring the theme of the Spring season. We will discuss how the weather and landscape around us changes, as well as animals we might see around this time of year and explore how things grow and change as we head into brighter days. This session will have us moving and learning in a fun and creative way while exploring a variety of dance concepts. This can be explored as an individual theme or as part of a larger Four Seasons theme.

The Seasons: Summer
A creative dance & movement session to welcome us into the summer season. We will discuss how to keep safe in the sun as well as go on some movement adventures, exploring a variety of dance concepts. This session can be as slow or fast-paced as you like, and even done outside weather permitting! This can be explored as an individual theme or as part of a larger Four Seasons theme.

The Seasons: Winter
A creative dance & movement session exploring the theme of the Winter season. We will discuss Winter clothing, Winter weather, and Winter activities. This can be explored as an individual theme or as part of a larger Four Seasons theme.

Shapes
A creative dance & movement session that explores shapes and how we can use our bodies to create interesting shapes on our own or with a partner/group. We will use simple and recognisable shapes like “circle” and “triangle” as well as explore some new vocabulary such as “angular” and “curved”. This session will help to expand knowledge and creativity.

Superheroes
A creative dance & movement session where we transform into Superheroes.  This energetic session gets us moving in fun, energetic, and creative ways and really gets our imagination going! We will use a variety of gross motor skills like leaping, jumping, and turning. Weather permitting, this session may also take place outside.

Teddy Bear’s Picnic
A creative dance & movement session where we go on a Teddy Bear’s Picnic.  We can bring our own teddy bears and stuffed animals along for the adventure! Using our imaginations, we will go down to the woods, where we’re sure to find a big surprise! This session gets us thinking creatively and using our imaginations, and there are loads of opportunities for free movement exploration. Weather permitting, this session can also take place outdoors.

Transport
A creative dance & movement session exploring the theme of modes of transport. We will explore different elements of how to get from one place to another, from walking to larger modes of transport like aeroplanes. This session will increase our knowledge of transport and challenge fine and gross motor skills.

Under the Sea
A creative dance & movement session exploring an Under the Sea theme. We will use movement to explore and expand our knowledge of things that live under the water and how they might move. We will use different movement qualities and visual aids to investigate how different sea creatures might move.

Weather
A creative dance & movement session that explores Weather. You can focus specifically on one kind depending on the weather just now or have a mash-up of various activities exploring all kinds of weather. Mix-and-Match as you like!

 

Catriona Hill, Movement and Dance Arts Worker