This week's song combines two favorites- one is a favorite of many of my students, and the other is one of mine: dancing and working on eye contact, respectively. I'm sure many of you reading- whether you're a parent, educator, or fellow music therapist- have some sort of experience with and/or can relate to what I'm saying. Children love, love, LOVE to move around and we love it when we receive great eye contact. So, on to explain the combination...it's very simple, really. I preface the movement activity with instructions similar to "When you hear the music, you can dance; but when the music stops, your body stops moving, and eyes look at (insert name of desired recipient of eye contact)." In the beginning stages of the song, I typically ask for eye contact to be made with me, especially if there are more than 3-ish students in a group. However when students progress, and/or there are only a few students, I may name a peer to look at or have all students make eye contact with one another. After the 5-4-3-2-1 countdown is given (remember this from the tips last week?), I may use the sung cue "eyes look," which is also listed below for you. It's also a helpful tag line that can be used outside of this song, when prompting for eye contact. One of my students fills in "look" and correctly finds my eyes when I sing "Eyes..." : )
Put your dancin' shoes on and enjoy!
DANCIN' AROUND
We’re rockin’ and rollin’ around the room,
Movin’ and groovin’ around the room,
Shakin’ and spinnin’ around the room,
Dancing is so fun to do, ooh, ooh.
Get your body ready to move, move, move,
And you’ll get into the groove, groove, groove.
When the music stops, you know what to do:
Your eyes will look at me,
And my eyes will look at you
EYES LOOK
