“Let’s all walk around like a big elephant!” Six children in bright, colorful clothes begin to march to the beat of the song. Tossing their arms up and down like elephant trunks, they imitate the herd of elephants in the video behind them.

This is one scene from Brenda Colgate’s video Silly Willy Moves Through the ABCs. The video blends upbeat, original songs with movement and phonics and is aligned with state standards. Silly Willy is a bear of average size, which gives kids the message that “you don’t have to be skinny to be fit,” says Colgate, a kindergarten teacher at Anderson Elementary School in Newport Beach, CA, as well as a certified fitness instructor.

“I think music is a great motivator for children,” says Colgate. “Music does something to our senses—it ties everything together—motor skills, movements, cognitive thinking skills, and language.”

Colgate, other teachers, and fitness experts offer tips for using music to get kids moving.

Children benefit

With 8 million young people between the ages of 5 and 19 seriously overweight, the U.S. is facing an epidemic of childhood obesity. Experts say children get less physical activity than they should—and are often watching TV and playing video games instead.

Child care providers are seeing the trend at younger and younger ages. “It’s important to get [kids] moving,” says Maria Dangerfield, a child care provider at Castori State Preschool in Sacramento. “They are getting obese.”

But moving to music is not just about fitness, says Patty Kimbrell, a physical activity consultant to Head Start and Fit/WIC (the childhood obesity prevention initiative of the federal Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program). “It does so much more for children. It develops listening skills, rhythm, sensory-motor skills. Children are moving and learning. The more they feel and see and do, the more learning takes place,” she adds.

Also, a recent Ohio State study showed that music and exercise combined increased people’s verbal ability. Exercise alone did not have the same positive impact.

Get children moving—and have fun!

“When you turn on the music, kids want to move,” says Jim Silence of Kid-Fit, an organization that offers physical education for preschoolers. Colgate recommends that early care and education programs use a wide variety of musical styles—including music sung in the children’s home languages. Kid-Fit instructors use a mix of Disney tunes and songs from children’s artists such as the Wiggles and Greg & Steve (see Activity resources).

“Play follow the leader or do free dancing to music,” suggests Kimbrell. “You can hop and jump and leap. You want all children to be engaged. Let the children be leaders. They just love that. Give a child a ball, a beach ball, yarn balls, sponge balls” to use while moving to the music.

“Emphasize activities that keep children moving continuously,” says Colgate—such as “stretching, marching, galloping, leaping, or running.” Relay races and musical chairs “provide limited opportunities for many children, especially the ones who need activity the most,” she says. And adults should get up and move, too!

“If you engage kids in fun activities you’ll be planting seeds for a lifetime of activity,” says Kimbrell. “Your kids will gain confidence in movement. It all boils down to having fun.”

Teach language, math, and social skills

“The key for teachers is integrating movement in the classroom,” says Kimbrell. “Jump-roping skills integrated with math.” While dancing, “say the months of the year in English and Spanish,” she adds.

Use songs in which children name body parts, colors, or numbers, or have them act out opposites such as loud and soft or fast and slow, says Colgate. The popular preschool song, “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes,” gets kids moving and helps improve coordination.

Emphasize cooperation and working together, says Colgate. “Some songs teach positive social skills. Kids learn to work with a partner to build a bridge or a tunnel with their bodies. They need to cooperate and observe one another to do the movements together on a song like the ‘Hokey Pokey,’” says Kimbrell.

Make activities part of the daily routine

Dangerfield uses music to get kids moving during circle time. The children warm up by doing stretches to music, then use their imaginations to move like an animal. She ends the activity with quiet music—during which the children do yoga stretches and breathing exercises to calm down and get ready for listening.

Dangerfield says many children in her care come from immigrant families that speak a language other than English. When she asks kids to fly like an eagle or stretch like a cobra, she shows them a picture so the children know what to imitate.

Include everyone

Provide options for children with special needs to participate as fully as possible, say Colgate. Kimbrell recommends pairing them up with other children. “They just want to be one of the regular group,” she adds.

Activity resources

ABridge Club offers DVDs, videos, and CDs with interactive songs for children two to eight. Some CDs include songs in Spanish. Website offers tips for using music to get kids moving. www.abridgeclub.com

Kid-Fit offers physical education classes for preschoolers. Topics include: heart, lungs, bones, muscles, eyes, ears, germs, fire safety. 877-543-3488, www.kid-fit.com

Silly Willy videos teach children about phonics, the ABCs, and sports while developing fitness and motor skills. In English and Spanish for children three to eight. Available from Educational Activities, 800-645-3739, www.edact.com

Music resources

Kidzmusic offers reviews of kids music at http://kidzmusic.com

Songs for Teaching offers a list of children’s songs that encourage movement, www.songsforteaching.com/movement.htm

Spanish Toys offers CDs of Spanish-language children’s music, including popular songs and songs that teach numbers and the alphabet, www.spanishtoys.com/UDMusica.asp

Pratt’s Educational Resources provides links to CDs of Chinese children’s music, www.fastq.com/~jbpratt/education/sstudies/geog/china.html (scroll down to Music)

Some children’s music artists

Ella Jenkins sings traditional African-American songs, as well as songs that get kids moving, www.ellajenkins.com

Greg & Steve, 800-548-4063, www.gregandsteve.com

Hap Palmer, 800-289-6923, www.happalmer.com (website includes lyrics and activities)

The Wiggles, www.thewiggles.com.au/index2.html