Home-made Tap Shoes for Kids.

Snow, Snow, Snow!
It won't be long before we'll all be there with snow.
As I type this post I am singing those lines and more.

For those who might not recognize the song, it is from White Christmas.
A movie with singing, dancing and snow!
A cinematic classic in my book.

I was watching this movie with my four-year-old son.
He was in awe of the music and mesmerized by the dancing.

I asked him, "Would you like to learn to dance and sing like Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye?"

"No Mommy," he almost reluctantly replied. "I'm going to be an engineer like Daddy. We are going to build airplanes together. Maybe even spaceships!"

"That sound's like a great plan, but you can have hobbies like singing and dancing if you want."

"I can?" He pauses. "What's a hobby?"

"Well, Daddy works on planes for work but he does woodworking and homebrewing as his hobbies. Now I write and design or draw things for my job, but what do you see me doing for hobbies?"

"Well," he drags this word out into about 15 syllables as he thinks. "You play with yarn and thread alot, And sing. You are always singing for church."

"That's right, good observations. I crochet and cross-stitch. And I sing for church a lot too. So, would you like to learn how to tap dance as your hobby?"

"Yes, that would be okay with me."

After this conversation it was time for his nap or rather rest time.
Until I know for sure he was interested enough to pursue real tap shoes and dance lessons,
I needed a homemade solution. 

Creating tap shoes is actually really simple.
All it takes is a handful of pennies, a hot glue gun and an old pair of shoes.

Tap dancing is really hard on decks and any flooring. 
I placed a drawing board down for him to dance on, but you could also try a scrap piece of wood or even cardboard.
At some point the pennies will fall off, but you can always glue them back on as the dancer takes a snack break.



Here's a look at the homemade shoe in action.
My son says he is putting on his happy feet when he wears them.
This is the middle of an hour long performance for me.



Watching White Christmas was a fun way to start the holiday season.
I am now in a holly, jolly mood as I watch my son dance for hours with his new found hobby.
I wish everyone a very merry and blessed Christmas!