Dance has always been a part of human culture, rituals, and celebrations. Today, most dancing is about recreation and self-expression. If you’re a mom and you’re looking for time for yourself, dancing is an enjoyable way to be more physically active and stay fit. Try our Zumba classes! Want to get moving at home with your little one(s)? Here we explore the benefits of dancing — for both you and the kids in your life!
The benefits of dancing for a small child – and mom – are endless. New moms will notice that little ones like to move to music, even before they can walk. As little things, they will pull themselves up, and hold onto a rail or surface while their knees bop up and down.
Dancing doesn’t just get you moving either, it also helps one stay in tune with their emotions. It helps shed extra pregnancy weight, and it also keeps mom and baby’s heart and health in check.
Then there are the social benefits of dance. Dancing with a small child will enhance a mom’s bond with her child, and children dancing together will teach all involved to relate in healthier ways with each other and to be mindful of each other’s personalities, emotions, and movements. Here are 10 reasons why dancing is good for both mom and her small baby or child.
1. Cardiovascular health
Dancing is good for the heart in more ways than one. It’s good for the emotional center of one’s being, but also the physical heart.
Half an hour of dance four to five times a week is enough to benefit mom and baby who will not only feel energized from the experience but will enjoy improved cardiovascular health. Moving to music gets the blood flowing and the heart pumping and both mom and her small child will feel more alive.
2. Balance
Dancing works on the core muscles of one’s body with movements emanating from the inside outwards. These core muscles are pivotal in balance and body alignment and dancing regularly will change the way both baby and mom carry themselves.
It will also keep them strong from the inside out. This core strength will help both adults and children with other physical activities and sports.
3. It is for everybody
No one is excluded from dance. Sure, not every mom is created to be a prima ballerina, but every mom can participate in some form of dance or another. The same goes for babies and small children.
Dancing, like walking, is within every human being’s reach. This means that any baby and any mom can get moving to music – and enjoy themselves… no excuses! At the same time, anyone of any age can move to music, baby included.
4. There are so many types
There is a style of dance to suit every personality. Some prefer a slower waltz, others, a jazzy interlude. Then there are children’s favorites, with actions and well-known melodies. There is also modern, hip-hop, freestyle, street dancing, country-style barn dancing, line dancing, and the list goes on.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to dance and every mom-child duo can find a dancing theme and style to suit their unique temperaments, ability, and relationship.
5. It is gentle on the body
A new mom might feel overweight, out of sorts, or still, be recovering from labor. This is why dancing with a baby is such a great way to get back into shape. Mom can waltz with a baby around the living room, taking things at her own pace, while getting an emotional, psychological and physical work-out.
The little one will enjoy the movement and learn to appreciate music and dance from a young age. It is low impact (mostly) which means knees and back joints will remain relatively protected. Mom and child can also work out according to their own physical ability and fitness level.
6. It is fun
Whoever said dancing is not fun has never done a country-western line dance with a group of laughing friends, or stood to be a Grease Lightning legend on the dance floor.
Dancing engages all of the senses and it also engages one’s sense of humor. Mom and tot can have fun twirling and making up their own dance moves. Laughter will definitely color dancing sessions with a small child. A new mom will probably even battle to keep up!
7. It can be organized and specific
As spontaneous as dancing in the living room might sound, there are more formal options. Among these, formalized dance workout DVDs, which mom can do alongside her small child, adapting moves according to her ability and allowing her child to come up with his or her own moves while she sticks with the fitness regime.
Formalized dance workouts accommodate different dance preferences, such as Latin American, Salsa, Brazilian dance, ballet, hip-hop, and even street dancing.
8. It helps with stress
Nothing gets those moody blues out better than some fun dancing in good company and what better company than one’s bopping and weaving tot?
Moms who exercise are less stressed than those who are more sedentary, as exercise releases serotonin in the brain which helps mom to feel more on top of everything.
9. It goes with great music
Dancing and music go hand in hand. They are like two peas in a pod and it is impossible to separate the two. When music is played, something is stirred in the heart and spirit, and emotions are processed and creativity is generated.
The dance itself becomes an expression of the music. Putting on one’s favorite music and dancing to this then becomes a spiritual exercise as much as a physical exercise. For a small child, dancing with mom can be the beginning of a lifelong romance with music.
10. It engages the mind
Children will learn many things from dancing. They will learn discipline since many dance varieties have “rules,” which include physical rules, as well as social rules (such as, each person has a turn or step, which must coordinate with the other’s).
Also, they will learn to engage their minds, through learning sequences of steps and specific ways of moving their bodies, which will require constant thought and focus. Children who learn dance will also learn to memorize specific sequences. This act of memorizing will strengthen their memory skills. This same skill can then be applied to other learning processes.
ABC Fit Studio has a wide variety of options and private sessions available for you to start dancing. Keeping up with your workout plan will be easier than ever. Gain a whole new level of body awareness! Schedule a class today at (949) 305-3310 and join our online community on Facebook.
Reference: [https://www.babygaga.com/reasons-dancing-good-mom-small-child/]