Samantha is one of those kids who is constantly wanting you to stop what you’re doing so that you can check out her sweet dance moves. Some of her “moves” were picked up from a Zumba class she took after school, but most of them are self taught (although she did take ballet for two years and we should probably get her back in there).
The ballet/Zumba combo means that much of her dancing is done with dramatic faces and sweeping arm movements with a little bit of hip swiveling thrown in for good measure.
Needless to say, when Ubisoft offered to send over a copy of Just Dance Kids 2014 for us to review, I was all over it.
When Sam threatened to enter cranky, irritable I’m booooooored territory, we broke out the game and suddenly she was all sunshine and rainbows.
The best part about this game (in my opinion) is that it’s not too difficult for younger kids. On the Wii version that we tried out, their motion is only tracked by the remote control, which is in their hand as they flail around trying to keep up with the dancer on screen. For my seven year old, this was perfect. She didn’t get frustrated or discouraged. She watched a real girl dance and tried to copy her movements (with help from little pictures in the bottom that show you how to move) while listening (and singing along) to some of her favorite songs.
Another bonus, at least for me, was the variety of songs this game has (and all are kid appropriate!). They have everything from “Mary Had a Little Lamb” for the real littles to “Walking on Sunshine” to pop songs by Selena Gomez, One Direction, and Demi Lovato. Of course we don’t get to listen to all of them because Samantha being Samantha has latched on to two favorites: “Give Your Heart a Break” by Demi Lovato (which is her favorite) and “Ready or Not” by Bridgit Mendler (aka Teddy on Good Luck Charlie).
On top of all of that, the dance moves were tame and not at all sexualized, which is something I always fear with anything kids dance related. I do not want my kid humping the air while she shows off her moves to the public, thank you very much! With this game, I know I don’t have to be afraid of that.
But who cares what I think about it? What really matters is what the kids think, right? Take a little look at my girls playing.
As you can see, Sam takes her dancing very seriously, while her sister is thoroughly amused by the whole thing. Two happy girls sounds like a major win to me!
If you’re looking to buy it, it’s available at the usual video game places. Personally, I would go the Amazon route—it’s $19.99 and it’s eligible for free shipping on orders over $35. Score!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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Hi! I'm Jen, a freelance writer and girl mom who loves reading the newest children’s books as much as I love a good psychological thriller. I believe fiercely in the power of kindness, empathy, and really good quality chocolate. When I'm not knee-deep in glittery crafts and girl talk, you can probably find me sprawled out on my couch in the middle of a Netflix marathon with dark chocolate smeared on my face. The struggle is real. 
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