At Stagelight, we love to present storybooks to our Mini Stagelighters that inspire performing, dance, singing, music, or creative work. And there are MANY storybooks that do just that!

One of our favorites is Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson. The book features a hippo who just CANNOT STOP dancing, no matter how disruptive it is to the rest of the jungle. But despite the other animals’ complaints, Hilda is not derailed.

If you have the book at home, great! Read it together. If you don’t have the book, below is a recorded read-aloud that includes the actual book so your Mini can see all the colorful pictures.

Once your Mini has read the story, go back and re-read the featured rhythms in the book. Have your Mini choose his or her favorite rhythm, and create that rhythm pattern using handclaps, stomps, instruments, or other toys around the house.

Send us your rhythm performances to stagelightathome@gmail.com or tag us on social media @stagelightarts. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!