Executive function
Toddlers observe a game of freeze.
Be Prepared: Arrange for an adult to help you with the activity.
[Invite several toddlers to watch a fun game.]
We are going to learn a new game today! Our game is called the Freeze Game.
We can freeze our body by stopping what we are doing. We hold our body still when we freeze it.
[Demonstrate moving around and then freezing your body in a still position. You may wish to make it silly. This should be a fun activity!]
I am freezing my body. My body is not moving.
Let’s say together the word freeze.
Our game has music! I am going to dance when I hear music. I am going to freeze my body when the music stops. I will listen carefully to the music so I know whether to dance or to hold my body still.
What part of our body helps us listen? (our ears)
[Point to your ears.]
[Play music as you dance around for several seconds. Have another adult stop the music as your signal to freeze in place.]
I had fun dancing! What did I do when the music stopped?
[Pause for toddlers to respond. Repeat and expand their comments. Emphasize the word freeze.]
I am going to play the game again! Please watch what I do when the music plays and when the music stops!
[Move with enthusiasm and smile. Remember, toddlers do not care how you look when you dance.]
We learned about a new game today! You watched me dance when music was playing. You watched me freeze when the music stopped playing. I listened carefully with my ears. I listened to the music to know when to dance and when to freeze. This is a fun game!
Executive function
Toddlers participate in a game of freeze with caregiver guidance.
Invite several toddlers to play a game called the Freeze Game. Demonstrate what it means to freeze our body. Walk or dance around briefly and then hold your body still. Explain you are freezing your body. Invite toddlers to say the word freeze with you.
Explain that in the Freeze Game, we dance when the music plays and we freeze our bodies when the music stops. We listen carefully to know when to dance and when to freeze.
Invite toddlers to join you in playing the game. Example: “Now I am going to play the music. You can dance with me! We need to listen carefully to the music. We freeze our bodies when the music stops!”
Play the music and encourage toddlers to dance with you. Remind toddlers to be careful to not bump into each other. Offer verbal prompts. Examples: “We can hear the music. It is time for us to dance.” “Our music has stopped. That means it is time for us to freeze our bodies.”
Freeze in an exaggerated position when the music stops and encourage toddlers to do the same. Draw attention to what you are doing.
Play the game for several minutes if toddlers remain engaged.
Acknowledge toddlers’ efforts to listen to the music and remember what to do. Example: “We listened carefully to the music. We remembered to stop moving our bodies when the music stopped. This is a fun game to play together.”
Executive function
Toddlers participate in a game of freeze with minimal caregiver guidance.
Invite several toddlers to play the Freeze Game. Explain how the game works. Example: “We dance when the music is playing. We freeze our bodies when the music stops.” Demonstrate a freeze by dancing about briefly and then holding your body still. Explain this is a freeze. Emphasize that we listen carefully to the music so we know when to dance and when to freeze.
Play the music and encourage toddlers to dance any way they wish without bumping into each other. Offer verbal support and/or demonstrate dancing and freezing if it appears toddlers need a reminder of what to do. Otherwise, provide minimal guidance so toddlers can practice remembering how to play the Freeze Game.
Continue the game for several minutes or until toddlers lose interest. Wrap up the activity by reminding toddlers that we worked hard to listen and freeze our bodies when the music stopped. The Freeze Game is fun!
Look for opportunities to offer verbal support or demonstrations if it seems particularly challenging for a toddler to manage one or more of the three important aspects of self-regulation promoted in this simple game: paying attention to whether the music is playing, remembering what to do when the music plays and does not play, and holding our body in a still position. Having another adult help with the activity will enable you to fully monitor and help as needed.
Give more attention to freezing than to dancing because it is more challenging to hold still than to dance. Toddlers cannot be expected to freeze their bodies for more than several seconds, especially if balance is an issue.
Some toddlers may keep dancing after the music stops, and most toddlers will find it difficult to hold a freeze position. Maintain a flexible and lighthearted approach. Consistently acknowledge toddlers’ efforts and indicate that freezing our body takes a lot of practice.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: music, music player
Invite several toddlers to play the game by taking turns in dancing/freezing and managing the music. Participate enthusiastically with the toddlers as they play the game.
Materials Needed: music, music player
Children of all ages will enjoy the Freeze Game. Older children can offer examples for toddlers to imitate. Babies will enjoy watching the children dance when the music plays and freeze when the music stops. Invite older toddlers and children to take turns being in charge of turning the music on and off.
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