Parent Ed Topic: The Importance of Dance & Learning

This month, Everett Cooperative Preschool kicked off its Parent Education Nights with an insightful session on the importance of dance and movement for our young children. Emmy Fansler, director of The Dance School in Everett, was the guest speaker, sharing her expertise on how movement can support children’s development, especially during their toddler and preschool years.

Movement Helps Kids Explore and Understand Their Emotions

Emmy highlighted how movement plays a crucial role in helping children recognize and express their emotions. At this stage, many children don’t have the words to describe what they’re feeling, but they often express those emotions physically. Movement allows them to engage with their feelings in a tangible way—whether they’re spinning when joyful or stomping their feet when frustrated. It’s a natural way for children to explore and process their emotions, which is key to their emotional growth and self-regulation.

There’s No “Right” or “Wrong” Way to Move

One of the most important takeaways from the session was that dance and movement are about freedom and self-expression, not about following specific steps or doing things “right.” For our preschoolers, having the space to move in their own way encourages creativity and confidence. It lets them safely explore how their bodies work and how they can express themselves without the fear of making mistakes.

Dance and movement offer children a safe environment to try new things, connect with their emotions, and develop important physical and emotional skills—all while having fun.

Looking forward to the exciting topics coming up in future Parent Education Nights. Be sure to join the next session to continue learning together as a community!