[For 1-year-olds] Performance for the school recital
Many nursery teachers may be struggling to decide what to present at a performance for one-year-olds.
Even within the one-year-old age group, a small difference in months can greatly change what children can do, so choosing an act is tricky.
A performance is an important event where parents can see their children’s growth.
It’s best if the children can enjoy practicing from the start.
Here are some selections of acts for one-year-olds that let them have fun singing and dancing.
They might get a bit nervous on the day of the performance—but that’s adorable too, and it would be wonderful if teachers and parents could all watch over them together.
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Performances for the Living Presentation (1–10) [For 1-year-olds]
Mickey Mouse March
If they get to be Mickey Mouse—a character kids love—they’ll probably be excited from the very first practice.
And since the songs are familiar, it’s easy for parents and grandparents in the audience to clap along, enjoy it together with the children performing, and get the whole venue buzzing! For one-year-olds, it might be hard to remember all the choreography, but they’ll often do their favorite moves with all their might or watch the teacher dancing and follow along.
They show so many adorable expressions—it’s incredibly cute.
Snip-Snip Dance
The original song for the lively, up-tempo sing-and-dance tune “Choki Choki Dance” is the foreign children’s song “The Hokey Pokey.” It turns out it’s a song shared around the world.
In time with the music—right hand, left hand—you make peace signs, and as a hand-play song the original also has you wiggle your bottom and shake your head, making it a fun tune you can express with your whole body.
The lyrics about right hand and left hand might be a bit hard for a one-year-old, but if they can dance cutely and have fun, that’s a gold star! Just like in the video, it’s a song that older brothers and sisters can enjoy together and really get into.
hand play song
How about a simple, easy-to-sing hand-play song for one-year-olds set to a gentle nursery rhyme? It’s an activity you can do while sitting together—parent and child, or teacher and child.
You can flutter your hands, make fists and open palms, and do other simple movements, so even children who aren’t ready to dance yet can enjoy it safely.
Because it can be done as part of everyday play, it’s easy to practice at home, and children can have fun learning the song.
Once they’re used to it, speeding it up can make it even more exciting.
For 1-year-olds: Performances for the end-of-term presentation (11–20)
dance
How about a dance to a song featuring lots of animals? The audience will surely be charmed by the children dressed in animal costumes! The kids will also have fun participating as their favorite animals.
With animal songs like “Usagi-san Pyon Pyon” (Bunny Hop-Hop) and “Raion-san Gao” (Lion Roar), the gestures and poses are familiar, so even if they get nervous in front of a big crowd, they might still strike a pose without thinking.
Let’s clap our hands
When it comes to classic children’s activities, “Let’s Clap Our Hands” is a staple, isn’t it? I imagine many of you sing it at home, too.
With its very familiar rhythm and lyrics full of onomatopoeia kids love—like “tan-tan with our hands” and “tan-tan stomping our feet”—plus simple movements, children of any age can enjoy it together.
Since it’s a song the audience likely knows as well, it’s the kind of activity that can bring the whole venue together and really liven things up.
Be sure to consider adding it to your list!
Animal Gymnastics 1-2-3
“Animal Exercise 1-2-3” is a song included on the 2015 release “Everyone Loves It: Best Taiso Songs — Bunba-Boon!/Anpanman Taiso.” It’s sung by children’s song vocalist Yumiko Okazaki.
This bright, energetic tune is sure to get kids excited, letting them pretend to be animals as they do the exercises.
It allows for expressions from small animals to big ones.
You can even ask the children what animals they like and make headpieces to match—so cute!
Panda, rabbit, koala
Hiroo Takada, who wrote the lyrics for “Panda Usagi Koala,” is also known as the lyricist of the well-known song “Swim! Taiyaki-kun” and as a picture book author.
The song remains popular today as a beloved children’s tune familiar from NHK’s educational program “Okaasan to Issho.” Because it’s a gentle melody, it would make for a memorable recital—kids can pretend to be the animals while doing hand-play movements, or transform into animals with hats and costumes.