Active Play and Music that Moves You with Laurie Berkner - Episode 8

Written By Arleigh Greenwald

Have you ever found yourself marching around the kitchen like a dinosaur or jump, jump, pump it up, chipmunk at the gas pump? If so, you already know our guest!

In Episode 8 of the Active Play, Every Day podcast, Dr. Emily Greenwald sits down with the undisputed queen of children’s music, Laurie Berkner, to discuss how music truly gets you moving. 

Laurie has been making kids’ music for 32 years, and has popular songs like “We Are the Dinosaurs”, “The Goldfish”, and “Bumblebee”. She has been successfully getting kids and their families moving by motivating them through lyrics, beats, and her own actions. 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

This episode is for anyone who loves children, music, or uncovering psychological triggers to motivate others to move. 

Inside this episode, listeners will learn:

  • How Laurie discovered the magic of the human tempo, which prompts movement and aligns with your body's rhythm 

  • The importance of demonstrating the movement, and being a part of the experience (yes, you should dance!)

  • Designing and building songs, playlists, and even concert playlists around a child’s development and behavior regulation to help with transitions or ramped-up energy

  • How schools and educators can use Laurie Berkner Bytes and Breaks within their class planning to integrate music and movement in other parts of the day

  • How you can use music to help you remember everyday things (like your bank account) and motivate others (and yourself!) to change the mood and move, even when they don’t want to

Laurie Berkner Resources for Educators and Families

Laurie creates resources for educators to bring music and actionable how-to steps for integrating music and movement into the classroom or home. 

Berkner Bytes - A printable pack of cards with how-to steps paired with a curated playlist to quickly add music to your curriculum

Berkner Breaks - Lesson plans that give detailed ideas on how to prompt children to think and take action for specific songs

Music in the Classroom Seminar - A 1-hour seminar from Laurie herself, giving tips and tricks to utilize her music in educational play. 

Laurie’s Facebook Group for Teachers - A community of over 5,000 educators sharing resources and tools

The Active Play Prescription

At the end of every episode, Dr. Emily asks her guest to help her develop an Active Play Prescription.

Laurie’s prescription is easy for us all to implement today:

Family dance party where the kid picks a song, then you pick one. Giving the kid agency and power to pick something they enjoy, and that you go along with it. 

Find Us

Where to find Laurie

Where to find Dr. Emily

Subscribe to the Active Play, Every Day podcast

Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other popular podcast apps

Episode Sponsor

This podcast is sponsored by Nex Playground, an active play gaming system that helps families move indoors through full-body games that support learning, coordination, and joy!

References

Arleigh Greenwald

http://bikeshopgirl.com
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