At D.C.’s National Children’s Museum, Music Inspires Family-Friendly Fun
For kids, few things are more fun than dancing it out. That’s why Spotify teamed up with National Children’s Museum to create an unforgettable Dance Party Pod experience, which debuted in Washington, D.C., this month. Together, we combined kid-friendly fun and musical know-how to design an experience that’s dedicated to wiggling and giggling.
Photo Credit: Dan Swartz Photography
Kids and families can enter the space, located at the museum’s plaza/entrance level, and listen to a Spotify-curated dance party playlist. The Dance Party Pod experience stimulates the imagination as young visitors explore new genres of sound while discovering how different music inspires different movements. It also taps into the arts, an invaluable component of the museum’s science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programming.
“As an entirely STEAM-focused institution, the arts act as a unifying thread through all of the museum’s experiences,” said Crystal Bowyer, president and CEO of National Children’s Museum. “The music inside the Spotify Dance Party Pod captures young visitors’ imaginations, gives them the opportunity to personalize their own experiences, and helps transport them to a world where they can dream of the impossible.”
Photo Credit: Dan Swartz Photography
While the most important goal of the dance party is to have fun, parents, caregivers, and loved ones can also use the time to connect with their youngsters as they learn and laugh. Kids love to explore sound, and a 2020 Spotify survey found that a whopping 98% of parents listen to music with their kids, with nearly 59% indicating they listen together daily. Of those parents listening to music with their kids, 72% use music to relax and 69% use music to have fun together. It’s clear that music is a core part of many families’ routines, which is all the more reason to incorporate some new tunes and dance moves.
The playlist itself, curated by Spotify music programmer Hilary Giumara, features upbeat party songs from a range of genres and artists that appeal to both parents and kids. Since some of the beats might surprise attendees, the songs will offer plenty of learning opportunities. This is especially important, as the same Spotify study found that nearly 60% of parents say music is an important part of their child’s life, and 65% of parents agree it’s important to them that their child listens to and/or learns about music.
“I like to think I can help change the world by connecting fans and listeners to the music they love!” said Hilary. “I often imagine a kid out there discovering music through a playlist I helped to program. It’s so cool that we get the opportunity to help our users discover their next favorite songs or artists. It’s really rewarding.”
Photo Credit: Dan Swartz Photography
There’s no doubt that music can play an important role in connecting children and their families, enriching education, and making lifelong memories. To better understand the thought and process behind creating musical magic, hosts A.J. and kid interviewer Olivia caught up with Hilary on STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum in the episode “The Magic of Music.” Together, they had a can’t-miss kid-friendly discussion about Hilary’s role as a music programmer, the power of music, and the process of building a playlist.
Tune into the conversation with Hilary and kid interviewer Olivia, and learn more about the playlist featured in the museum experience on the STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum podcast below. And if you’re in the D.C. area, don’t forget to put your dancing shoes on and head over to National Children Museum’s Dance Party Pod experience, presented by Spotify—or follow along from home with our dance party playlist.
