A DANCE FOR TODDLERS: I’M A LITTLE TEAPOT

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/25211911[/vimeo]

A SONG AND DANCE

This is a classic game for toddlers- “I’m a Little Teapot.”  The fun of the game is all in the movement.   It is about creating the shape of the handle with one arm, then the shape of the spout with the other, and then comes the most exciting part of all, the “Teapot Tip.”  The fun comes in the movement of tilting very far over to one side in coordination with the vocal emphasis on the word “Tip!”  There is one reason why this game has continued to be one of the all time toddler favorites for many years–because the movement is fun!

HISTORY OF THE TEAPOT SONG

“The Teapot Song” was written and published in 1939 by George Harold Sanders and Clarence Kelly.  Kelly and his wife ran a dance school for children. The youngest dancers needed a simple song and dance routine to learn because the one students were learning was too difficult for them. “The Teapot Song” was written and choreographed just for them.  The combination of pantomime and simple movements became a sensation in the United States and overseas.

MADELINE LEARNS PROPRIOCEPTION

When baby develops a clear feeling of her bones and muscles through proprioceptive activities, she often enjoys movement.  As she grows, her joy of movement and clear sense of her body show when she learns games and dances.  In the above video from Kristan Andrews’ vimeo channel, Madeline, who is 20 months old, is  happy to play this game.  She just can’t put her toys down fast enough to join in!  You can clearly see the delight on her face as she performs the “Teapot Tip.”  Madeline received several stellar caterpillar lessons during her first year of life, including proprioception activities.   She quickly learned and enjoyed physical movements such as crawling and climbing. Today, she receives compliments on her coordination, agility, and confidence to try new games.