Ribbon Wand Dancing to Music

A wooden dowel, stick, or chopstick

2-3 long ribbons or crepe paper streamers (about 2-3 feet long)

Tape to attach ribbons to the stick

Phone or speaker for playing music

Tape 2-3 long ribbons or crepe paper streamers to the end of a wooden dowel, stick, or chopstick. Secure them well.

Put on flowing instrumental music — something with long, sweeping phrases. Waltz music or slow orchestral pieces work beautifully.

Show your child how to wave the wand and make the ribbons flow through the air. Let them be mesmerized by the movement.

Try big circles with the wand, then small circles. The ribbons trace the path through the air.

Wave the wand high overhead, then swoop it down low near the ground. Up and down, following the music.

Switch to faster music and see how the ribbon movements naturally change — quicker, more energetic.

Try dancing your whole body while waving the wand — spin, skip, sway. Full body musical expression.

Make two wands so you and your child each have one. Mirroring each other's movements is a beautiful cooperative experience.

Crepe paper streamers are cheaper and more dramatic than ribbon, but they tear more easily. Both work well.

The visual feedback of the ribbon helps children understand their own movement in space. They can see the path their arm makes.

Try this outdoors on a breezy day — the wind adds another dimension to the ribbon's movement.

If your child tends to hit things with sticks, establish a ground rule: "The wand only touches the air, never people or furniture." Making it a magical wand helps with this.