Pussycat Doll inspires Milton Keynes nursery to start 'Tiny Dancers' sessions

Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt, is heading a mission to get children dancing at a Milton Keynes chain of nurseries.

Busy Bees nursery bosses say the fun sessions will help children's wellbeing and physical health.

The move came after almost 50% of local parents of children aged up to four said they were worried the tots' wellbeing had been affected during the Covid pandemic.

Some 28% were concerned about the impact on their child’s physical health.

Kimberly Wyatt says dance for little children can be a major boost to confidence and good health, both mentally and physically.

Busy Bees has now unveiled an official dance programme with Kimberly. Called Tiny Dancers, it is filled with engaging, easy and imaginative dance activities.

It aims to help children to burn off any nervous energy, have fun and make new friends in the process – ultimately making the settling in period at nursery easier.

The moves have been created by Kimberly, who is a judge on Sky 1’s Got to Dance and appears on CBBC’s Taking the Next Step.

Deena Billings, Early Years expert at Busy Bees, said: “There is no doubt the pandemic has had an impact on the nation’s children, and we understand that there’s an increased need for childcare providers, such as ourselves, to ensure we are supporting their wellbeing.

“For children under five, the opportunity to do this comes in the form of play, and we have a number of programmes at Busy Bees that help to promote wellbeing, including yoga, dance and music games. The ‘Tiny Dancers’ initiative will provide yet another tool for us support children as they begin to join our nurseries for the first time, and we’re delighted to make this available to all childcare providers and families in the UK to make use of too.”

Kimberly said: “I’m thrilled to have partnered with Busy Bees to launch the Tiny Dancers programme. Dance is hugely beneficial in getting children moving, laughing and feeling good, which is why it’s the perfect activity to support wellbeing.

“Dance is both universal and inclusive, and there’s no right or wrong way to do it, which is why it’s so fantastic for the early years. It’s also a wonderful tool for exploring imagination and forming connections with others – when everyone’s dancing together and sharing that immersive moment, it helps to build relationships and break the ice, which can sometimes be difficult for young children when meeting new people.”

The Tiny Dancers programme forms an extension of Busy Bees’ existing dance and movement programme, Dance with Buzz, which is available to Busy Bees parents and children through its dedicated app ‘Unleashing Potential’.

To try the moves out at home, visit bit.ly/tinydancers21