Home Activities for the Mini Stagelighter
They wiggle. They move. They sing loud and perform all over and anywhere, often on your furniture! What's a parent to do with all this extra energy?! Present your Mini Stagelighter with these Stagelight Home Activities and watch your Mini channel that extra energy into something creative and constructive.
3/27/20: “Yo Gabba Gabba” Dance Party
Today’s Mini Stagelight Home Activity is a fun dance party with Yo Gabba Gabba. So tune in, and have some fun. By the way, Ms. Lindsey was VERY VERY VERY good friends with Plex, the yellow dancing robot! You might recognize some of Plex’s killer moves if you look closely!
Send us a video or pictures of your Mini dancing with the Yo Gabba Gabba gang to stagelightathome@gmail.com, or tag us on social media @stagelightarts.
3/25/20: Ballet Combo
Ms. Katy has prepared a fun ballet combo for our Mini Stagelighters! And hint, hint… this is the choreography for her morning Combo classes!
Have your Mini Stagelighter learn the dance and perform the dance for family tonight. Film it or take pictures and send them to stagelightathome@gmail.com. Or, tag us on social media @stagelightarts. Have fun!
3/24/20: Don’t Walk, Dance! Outside Dance-Walk
Now that some of our Southern California rain has passed, let’s get moving outside! Just remember to keep social distancing. Before you begin this Outside Dance-Walk, we suggest watching Pharrell Williams’ Happy music video for inspiration!
Printout the directions here and have mom or dad hold the directions as you head out, ready to create an Outside Dance-Walk. When you pass each item on the directions, perform the movement suggested. Now, can you go back and memorize the dance? Maybe Mom or Dad can carry a small speaker and provide your soundtrack!
Send us a video of your dance to stagelightathome@gmail.com or tag us on social media @stagelightarts. Have fun!
3/23/20: “Hilda Must Be Dancing” Storytime and Rhythm Work
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!
3/20/20: At-Home Drum Kit
If you were hoping for some peace and quiet at home today, we’re sorry in advance! Today’s Mini Stagelighter lesson is all about noise, rhythm, and discovery.
Grab all the pots and pans you have and create a drum kit. Don’t forget to include metal and plastic bowls too for a variety in sounds. Now, hand over a wooden spoon, standard spoon from your silverware set, and any other kitchen tools you think might inspire some rhythmic creativity for your little one.
Let your Mini start out with just playing and getting familiar with the various sounds his or her drum kit produces. Then, play some Kidz Bop and encourage your Mini to play rhythms that complement the songs and beats in the music.
Have fun, and send a video or picture of your Mini drum star at stagelightathome@gmail.com (or on social @stagelightarts).
3/19/20: “Shake it Off” Kids Zumba
With rain on the horizon again in Southern California, and government-mandated “stay home” orders, we can only imagine the amount of cooped up energy your Mini Stagelighter has at this point!
It’s time to “Shake it Off” and get moving. This fun Kids Zumba workout will do the job. And although you might get sick of hearing this song on repeat, we bet it’ll help your Mini shake off some extra energy, memorize choreography, and stay inspired!
Don’t forget to send us some pictures of video of your Mini getting his or her fitness on: stagelightathome@gmail.com or tag us on social @stagelightarts.
3/18/20: Soap and Water Song and Sheet Music
“Oh-oh-ohh-oh-oh-ohh-oh-oh-oh…” Are your kids sick of hearing you say, “Wash your hands!” lately? We all know how important good hygiene is–and how especially important it is during this coronavirus scare–but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier for our kids to listen to us about washing their hands!
This fun song, set to Beyonce’s Single Ladies melody, is a great song for your Mini Stagelighter to learn today. Print out the sheet music (or view it on your screen), and see if you can help your Mini follow along with the lyrics.
Practice singing the song multiple times today and every time your Mini washes his or her hands! We’ve included both the version with lyrics and a version without lyrics so your Mini can really make this a performance as he or she gets to know the song better.
A big thanks to Plank Road Publishing for making all their music reproducible and accessible to our kids staying home these days.
3/17/20: Storybook Storytelling
Bring some your favorite characters to life in today’s Home Activity! Choose a favorite storybook, but make sure it’s one that includes lots of action or characters with different emotions. Fun options include: The Day the Crayons Quit, Wemberly Worried, The Very Impatient Caterpillar, any Elephant and Piggie books, or fairytale stories.
Read the story together, and point out all the ways the characters are feeling or acting.
Now, assign roles. Involve siblings and parents, and really get into character. For an even greater challenge, add props, costume pieces, entrances and exits. Don’t forget to pay attention to where the “audience” is so they can see all your action and hear all your lines. We would love to see lots of action, emotion and “playing” to your audience.
Send us a picture or video of your Storytelling scene at stagelightathome@gmail.com or tag us on social media @stagelightarts. Have fun with this!
3/16/20: Dance Workout With Barbie
This is literally THE BEST workout video to have ever been invented, and your Mini Stagelighter will love it. Filmed in 1992 (I know, you might have to have a brief history lesson with your Mini) and featuring a young Jennifer Love Hewitt, this workout video will totally inspire your Mini Stagelighter to get moving, get fit, and get dancing!
Not only does this workout video feature early CGI and the hippest moves of the 90s, it’s complete with jammin’ electro beats and a full dance work out, from warm-up to cool down.
Get your Mini dressed in his or her best workout clothes (leg warmers are a major plus), get that side ponytail as high as it’ll go, and find the full workout video here. And hey, moms and dads can join in this one too! Don’t forget to snap some pictures of your Mini working out and send them to us at stagelightathome@gmail.com. And we’re sorry in advance for your Mini’s newest obsession (kind of)!