How Toddlers Love to Dance

Toddlers respond to music by smiling, swaying, and maybe even clapping her hands. Between the ages of 1 and 2, gross motor skills improve enough that toddlers dance by bobbing up and down, with their feet on the floor. This new ability and sensitivity to rhythm accounts for the bouncing motion that your child makes in response to a jazzy tune or even the sound of your own singing voice. Simply listening to music has an effect on brain functioning, which may help bring on more creative ways of thinking -- sure to help later in school. Dancing also helps children improve their coordination and sense of how their bodies fit into their surroundings, all while encouraging greater creative expression.