Are you looking for a creative and engaging way to integrate movement, literacy, and social-emotional learning (SEL) into your early childhood curriculum? This post will show you how to bring picture books to life through dance stories—a joyful blend of storytelling, music, and movement that inspires imagination and supports holistic child development.
You’ll explore how dance stories benefit young learners, how to incorporate props and music, and you'll receive two fully developed dance stories you can use right away in your classroom, studio, or home.
The Power of Creative Dance for Young Children
Over my long career as a dance educator, I have especially enjoyed teaching creative dance to young children. I love inspiring their enormous and fertile imaginations to explore ideas through movement. Picture books have been the catalyst for many of our lively, creative dance sessions.
Each book we read is a rich source of movement ideas. Children enjoy revisiting the book, and through a teacher's open-ended movement prompts and the children's own kinesthetic responses, the resulting explorations can be energetic, playful, and enriching.
How Children Benefit from Dance Stories
Children love to bring stories alive using dance and music. In addition to the dramatic play and the joy of being physically active and moving to music, this activity offers many other benefits, including learning concepts from the early childhood curriculum, as well as SEL skills.
Academic and Developmental Skills Supported by Dance Stories
- Comprehension
- Making predictions
- Sequencing
- Identifying with and understanding different characters in a story
- Exploring and learning about the story’s setting and background
- Vocabulary acquisition
- Recognition of rhyme and rhythm
- Alphabet knowledge and letter recognition
- Listening skills
- Body control and awareness
- Creativity
- Problem solving: Both individually and as part of a group
- Curriculum enrichment: Adds the “A” for Art (Dance) and the “R” for Reading to expand STEM subjects from STEM to STEAM to STREAM
Using Props in Dance Stories
Manipulating props during dance stories adds another layer of learning. I often add props to the stories (for example, white shower scrubbers for snowballs if it is a story about winter, sparkly streamers if it is a story about the night sky). Children learn to control and manipulate objects while they are moving, in addition to learning to be aware and considerate of other children in the space who are also using props.
Bonus Benefits of Dance Stories
- Adaptable formats: Dance stories can be based on songs and poems or other narratives.
- Perfect for performances: Use your dance story as the basis for a performance for families and friends. Add optional costumes, props, and scenery!
Two Dance Stories to Use with Your Group
Below are two dance stories. The first is from a concept picture book, and the second is from a picture book with a story arc. Both have several action words to inspire playful movement ideas, and both wrap up the activity by bringing the children to a quiet finish.
Dance stories can be very short or can be expanded into a much longer one. These examples can last from 10–30 minutes including reading the book, going through the various prompts, winding down the dance story, and bringing the children to a calm and quiet ending.
The general format of these two dance stories can be used over and over. Children will look forward to hearing you say, “Now let’s dance the story!”
Dance the Alphabet!
This energetic dance story is based on From A to Z with Energy! The underlying theme of my rhyming alphabet book is the joy of being active. Begin by reading the story aloud to the group of children.
Set the Stage
Ask children to spread out in the available space. This dance story can be done with each child in their own spots (invite them to move around on their spots if they are to stay in one area), or with everyone moving throughout the space. Play some upbeat instrumental music, if available, and call out the prompts below, one by one. Allow plenty of time between prompts so children can fully explore their ideas.
Movement Prompts A–Z
A: What is your favorite adventure? Dance it!
B: Move every part of your body—head, shoulders, arms, legs. Try moving them all at once!
C: Clap your hands in different ways—above your head, behind your back, while bending forward.
D: Try clapping while you dance!
E: Dance like you're tired… now dance with full energy!
F: What’s the most fun thing you like to do? Dance it out!
G: Run in place. Go faster and faster!
H: Pretend to play hopscotch.
I: Put on imaginary ice skates and glide across the ice.
J: Jump as high as you can!
K: Fly a kite. Hold the string as it dips and soars in the sky!
L: Lounge on a blanket and eat your pretend lunch.
M: Feel your muscles gently stretch as you stand on your tiptoes and reach your arms as high as you can.
N & O: Go on a nature walk outside. What do you see and hear?
P: Play at a playground—swing, slide, balance!
Q: Quickly put on your snowsuit and rush out to slide down a snowy hill.
R: Race to the finish line!
S: Swim in a warm summer pool. Splash!
T: Twirl and fall gently into soft grass.
U: Use an imaginary bat and hit a home run—watch the ball fly!
V: You're very tired. Start your walk home.
W: Keep walking. Look up at the night sky.
X, Y, Z: Exhale, yawn, stretch, lie down. Time for sweet dreams… Zzzz.
Let’s Create an Impossible Garden!
Children can dance in their own spots for this dance story, or can move through the larger space.
This dance story is based on Jayden’s Impossible Garden by Mélina Mangal. This story features friendship, nature, and community against the backdrop of a thriving urban garden.
Set the Stage
As in the dance story above, start by reading the book aloud. Play some quiet instrumental background music, if available. Then proceed with the following movement prompts, allowing time for children to respond to each.
Movement Prompts Inspired by Jayden’s Journey
- Jayden loved nature. He liked to imagine he was in a tree house. Climb a tree like Jayden does in his imagination.
- Jayden wanted to show his mother that nature was everywhere, even in the city. Be a squirrel or cardinal—scurry or fly!
- Move like Mr. Curtis in a wheelchair, feeling the cool breeze and warm sunshine on your face.
- Build a secret fort. Collect wood, boxes, stones, and sticks. When you are finished, stand back, admire, and climb inside it.
- Plant a magical garden. Collect and decorate pots. Fill them with soil. Add seeds, and water them carefully.
- Become a bug—be a busy ant, a munching caterpillar, or a web-spinning spider.
- Weave a tiny hammock for your fort, just like Jayden did.
- Invite neighbors to see your impossible garden. Show them all the nature in the city!
- Fly like a butterfly, then a fast-winged hummingbird.
- End the story by flying like a dove, landing softly in your nest.
How to Incorporate Dance Stories Into Your Classroom or Program
Dance stories are flexible and can be used in many ways.
- As transitions: Use them as brain breaks or between academic subjects
- In lesson planning: Integrate them into units on nature, emotions, seasons, or literacy
- For performances: Adapt your favorite dance stories into informal shows
- At home: Parents can create dance stories with their children to encourage movement and bonding
By combining storytelling, SEL, and movement, dance stories support multiple areas of development and make learning joyful and active.
Bring Learning to Life with Dance Stories
Dance stories are a powerful and engaging way to combine movement, literacy, and social-emotional learning in early childhood settings. Whether you’re guiding children through an energetic alphabet adventure or a quiet garden in the city, dance stories offer meaningful opportunities for learning through movement.
Dance stories transform traditional story time into an active, joyful, and educational experience. They support a wide range of skills from literacy to SEL, while also encouraging children to express themselves, collaborate with others, and connect deeply with the themes of a story.
