Planning and organizing a middle school dance for students in their preteen years can be a lot fun, but also can also have unique challenges. You need to provide middle school students with a night of “grown-up,” but age-appropriate fun and excitement that can lure them away from their phones and gaming. Try using one or all of the following ideas at your next middle school dance so your students interact and engage more with each other.
Glow Gear
Give students a glow item like jewelry, sunglasses, or wristbands when you take their dance tickets at the door. It won’t be long before you see your kids literally glowing on the dance floor. Quick Tip: Bury glow necklaces or bracelets in a bowl of ice at your beverage table. Students will love the fun effect when they get a drink of water.
Concessions
Invest in concessions machines, like a popcorn machine or sno cone machine, and use them at your next school dance. Treats are must-haves for any school event, especially a school dance. Popcorn, sno cones, and more are a great way to surprise your elementary school students and will encourage more students to interact with other students while standing in line for their treats. You can even set up a popcorn toppings bar with various options to encourage students to interact more!
Games
Turn school “dance” night into an event that has more than just dancing. Set up a games area inside or outside. This is perfect for middle school students who want a take a break or for students who don’t feel comfortable dancing. Games can include Limbo, bean bag games, giant checkers, pop culture trivia, etc.
Photo Ops
Give your middle school students a photo booth or selfie station where they pose and act silly with their friends. Set up a special area for this with colored background paper or fabric as a backdrop. Add some interactive photo ops and lots of handheld props for those perfect pics!
Other Activities
Today’s middle school students may think school dances are outdated because they think it’s just about dancing—under the watchful eyes of teachers they see every day. Include other “non-dance” activities at each dance, and promote this on your posters and banners. Some ideas are:
• Karaoke
• Shoot-out basketball game
• Door prizes (iTunes cards, gift certificates, etc.)
• Hand out swag bags filled with goodies (sunglasses, glow items, etc.)
There are many other fun ways to “up the fun factor” at your middle school dance. Get creative so you can give your students an amazing school dance that they will never forget.