By Kíra Kertész and Bence Hajdu | Folklife Ambassadors 2024 – 2025
Introduction
You cannot start teaching folk dance early enough. The connection between melody, rhythm, and movement affects children even in the womb. A lullaby, a nursery rhyme, or singing can impact a child’s physical and emotional development. In the following section, we hope provide insight into the best ways to support little ones from the very first moment.
Lap Games
Play-based education plays a significant role in the transmission of tradition. These can be through movement games with adult assistance. There are several variations based on the types of movements involved and the senses they stimulate. During play, it is advisable to make the activities as varied as possible, incorporating as many types as possible (e.g., clapping games, dancing games, snapping).
These lap games can be done at home, using online resources. However, it is worth noting that if singing or reciting accompanies the games, you should try using your own voice rather than a recording. This enhances human bonding and impacts the development of social skills. This practice also helps lay down linguistic foundations where real-time sound production is crucial. If you need help or prefer a group setting, find a teacher-led program.
Positive Effects
Secure Attachment/Parent-Child Relationship: The one-on-one interaction and physical contact (touch, holding, etc.) can have a calming effect and strengthen the trust between the child and the adult. The child becomes accustomed to human closeness and contact.
Nervous System Development: Different games, such as gentle stroking, swinging, or tickling, stimulate various senses and thereby support their development.
Native Language Development: Rhythmic, melodic texts fundamentally aid in easier language learning. The movement paired with the meanings of words facilitates faster understanding. The child sees and hears the formation of words, leading to the development of linguistic aesthetic sense through rhyme, rhythm, emphasis, and intonation.
Body Awareness, Movement Coordination: Touching and moving body parts help to understand their placement and functioning. From small to large movements, it aids in recognizing and differentiating the body parts used.
Sense of Rhythm: Rhythmic songs and texts, as well as rhythmic movements, foster the development of rhythm, impacting both musical hearing and physical movement rhythm.
Emotional and Intellectual Intelligence: The same information is conveyed through multiple channels and senses.
Establishing Connections: Returning to the first point, the child becomes accustomed to human closeness and touch. They learn to reciprocate these interactions and increasingly adopt the actions occurring during play.
Finally, like all play, this provides entertainment for the child, as it is the only way they know how to engage at this age.
When and How Long Should We Play These Games?
As mentioned earlier, there is no age too early to start these games. Creating a safe environment and atmosphere is crucial for both the child and the parent/participant. There is no wrong way to do it! Positive reinforcement is essential. Unfortunately, lap games are increasingly fading from use.
As children grow older, they want to be more in control of their play. They will gradually become involved in every action until they can fully follow both the movements, melodies or texts. Therefore, alongside more challenging games, it is worthwhile to maintain those that continue to entertain the child and allow them to further shape their play.
How to Prepare and Conduct a Session
- Get to Know the Participants: It’s important to create a safe atmosphere and build trust. Talk to the children and allow them time to get used to new stimuli (place, people, sounds).
- Have Variation: Prepare the games in advance, trying to include various types so that the child engages multiple senses and experiences different stimuli.
- Encourage Everyone to Be Active: It is important for the child to hear the parent’s voice, not just the teacher’s or a recording. If both parents are present, they should feel free to join in.
- Maintain a Positive Atmosphere and Have Patience: The children may not always feel like playing, and it’s important to accept that.
- Be Consistent: Whether regular or occasional, encourage continued play at home on a daily basis.
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