I don't know about you, but on many mornings, I find myself in front of a classroom full of very sleepy children.  I have found that the best remedy for such situations is an upbeat, interactive song that involves lots of movement.  

Not only does a song like this encourage children to get up on their feet, but it also addresses important skills like gross motor movement, following directions, and action imitation.  I kept these things in mind when I wrote the song Move Your Body Along, and it works like charm every time my students are doing more yawning than singing!

Since I work primarily with young children and children with special needs, I keeep the movements very basic: clap, stomp, stretch, twist, jump, sway, and sit.  But what I like about this song is that it's easy to change up the movements to make them easier or harder, depending on the skill level of the children.  I'll often substitute the existing movements with the following: tap (knees or feet), nod, bend, snap, and so on.

Another adaptation I often use is letting my students suggest different kinds of movements.  They love the idea of being the leader of the group, so I have them take turns coming to the front of the room and demonstrating their movement. 

There are so many ways to combine music and motion in the classroom.  Our collection of Movement Songs is sure to get your students clapping, stomping, and stretching along!

Listen to Move Your Body Along from the album Time to Sing Hello in the audio player, below.