Sharpen your attention skills and create a dance routine in this variation of the traditional party game
What you’ll need: Another person (or small group of people), space to dance, and a music player
What’s it for?
This activity is based on a fun, traditional party game, which helps cultivate attention and memory skills. It is dance-based, so if you have a lot of energy it should appeal to you!
Check In:
Notice how you’re feeling right now. Close your eyes and notice what’s going on inside your mind and body.
How are you feeling?
What are you thinking?
How does your body feel?
Method:
This activity naturally works well in a small group context. It could be a fun family activity! However, it also works with one other person, but it might be trickier to remember all of the different dance moves!
In the game of ‘Grandma’s Basket’, you attempt to remember all the different items in order that grandma bought at the market, with each person adding one item to the end of the list, after successfully remembering the rest.
In this version of the game, instead of remembering the items that grandma bought, you substitute a dance move! Make sure that the dance moves are simple enough to be copied by everyone you’re playing with.
Put some of your favourite dance music on in the background.
Then say:
‘When grandma went to the nightclub she did this…’
Then demonstrate the dance move
The next player says:
‘When grandma went to the nightclub she did this [dance the first player’s dance move]... and this…’
Then add a dance move of your own
Keep taking turns and adding moves until you can’t remember any more!
If you want to play the game competitively, the person that can correctly remember and dance all of grandma’s disco moves wins!
Extra Activity: Try playing ‘Grandma’s Basket’ using musical elements (rhythms / melodies / musical gestures / body percussion), rather than words or dance moves.
When you’ve finished, spend a moment reflecting on the activity and ask yourself the following questions:
Did you learn anything new about yourself while you did this activity?
Was it easy or challenging to remember all the different dance moves?
Did you find it harder to remember dance moves than the words you’d normally use to play the game?
Did anything else surprise you about this activity?
Conclusion:
This activity helps you develop your memory and attention skills. It is similar to some exercises found in Neurological Music Therapy devised by Michael Thaut.
Take a moment to notice how you are feeling at the end of this activity. Did you discover anything surprising? What can you take away to make you feel better about yourself from this activity?
If you would like to, share something about your experience with this activity with someone you live with! Ask the person who looks after you to send us an email if you have any questions or comments about the activity, or would like to send us any pictures (info@catcorner.co.uk). Don't forget to subscribe for more fun CAT activities!
Created by Ian Grundy © January 2022
Creative Arts Used: Dance
Psychological Areas Explored: Attention, Communication, Play, Self Exploration
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These activities could be done by children of all ages, but some may need the support of their parent or carer to read the instructions or complete the activity safely.
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