Hello everyone!
Yesterday, I had the most wonderful time facilitating our “Happy Feet” program. Seeing the room filled with the laughter of children and the active participation of parents reminded me why I love being a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE). We danced, we jumped, and most importantly, we connected.
After the session, many parents and educators asked about the playlist, so I decided to share these favourites with you all today. Beyond simply having fun, these songs can support many important areas of early childhood development, including gross motor coordination, receptive language, self-regulation, social connection, and body awareness.
Empowering Self-Expression and Gross Motor Development
One of the standout tracks from our session was “I Can Do It” by Patty Shukla. In a world where children are often reminded to use their “indoor voices,” this song provides a playful and structured opportunity for them to release excitement through movement and voice.
The energetic shouting sections are often especially enjoyable for toddlers, allowing them to participate with their whole bodies in a socially appropriate and engaging way. However, the song offers much more than excitement alone. It challenges children with movements such as jumping jacks, balancing on one foot, and briefly closing their eyes while standing still.
These actions help support balance, coordination, core strength, and proprioceptive awareness. When toddlers begin mastering these movements, many show visible pride, persistence, and increased confidence in participating. The song also encourages children to listen carefully and respond to verbal directions with physical movement, strengthening receptive language skills and body coordination at the same time.
Rhythm, Tempo, and the Joy of Musical Patterns
Next on our “Happy Feet” playlist are two classics that never fail to energize the room: “Chili Chili” and “A Ram Sam Sam” by The Learning Station.“Chili Chili” introduces different movement styles and playful body actions, but one favourite moment is always the finger-wiggling “chili” motion. This seemingly simple movement helps strengthen fine motor coordination while children continue engaging in larger whole-body movements.
With “A Ram Sam Sam,” much of the excitement comes from gradually increasing the speed of the song. As a facilitator, I enjoy slowly building the tempo while watching the children become increasingly focused and excited as they try to keep up with the rhythm.
This experience helps children explore tempo changes and rhythmic patterns through repetition and movement. As the song finally reaches its fast-paced conclusion, the room often erupts into laughter and excitement. These shared musical experiences can help foster social connection and a strong sense of group participation.
Humour, Surprise, and Social Connection Through Music
For children aged two and up, developing cognitive and social skills allow them to increasingly appreciate humour, anticipation, and playful surprises within songs. “The Goldfish (Let’s Go Swimming)” by Laurie Berkner is a wonderful example. The song begins calmly with children pretending to swim like fish, but later introduces silly contradictions such as fish brushing their teeth; older toddlers often recognize the unexpected humour and respond with delighted laughter.
Another favourite in our program is “Tap Your Toe and Follow Me” by Susan Salidor. The pace is slower and highly engaging, allowing children to focus deeply on each movement. The “knock your knees” section and playful tongue sounds at the end are always crowd favourites, and it is wonderful to watch children become completely immersed in the experience.
Finally, we can never forget the classic “Party Freeze Dance Song”. I often use visual “Stop” and “Go” signs during this activity to support early self-regulation and listening skills. One parent yesterday shared that the song brought back nostalgic memories from their own childhood, reminding me once again that these movement songs can help create meaningful connections across generations.
Wrapping Up Today’s Wonder
Incorporating action songs into daily routines—whether at home, in child care programs, or during circle time—is about much more than simply keeping children entertained.
These musical experiences provide opportunities for children to practise listening skills, movement coordination, rhythmic awareness, and social participation in joyful and developmentally appropriate ways.
Most importantly, they create moments of genuine connection between children, parents, caregivers, and educators. These shared experiences often become some of the most meaningful and memorable parts of early childhood.
Information Table: Music & Movement Activity Summary
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Recommended Age
24 Months – 5 Years
Safety Tips:
Ensure there is a clear, non-slip floor surface and enough open movement space to reduce collisions and falls. Younger toddlers may benefit from simplified movements and adult modelling.
Developmental Key Points:
Gross motor development, fine motor coordination, rhythm awareness, receptive language, self-regulation, and social participation.
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Adult Participation
Recommended Practice: Parents and caregivers can model movements and gently encourage participation without pressure
Developmental Key Points: Parent-child bonding, social-emotional development, confidence building, and emotional connection.
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Music & Movement Activities
Recommended Activities & Tools: Using visual “Stop” and “Go” signs, action songs, movement games
Developmental Key Points: Auditory processing, attention skills, movement planning, listening skills, and group cooperation.
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