Choose the Right: Rhythm Stick Patterns for Older and Younger Children
Older Children
Can your hands follow my hands? Pretend like you have rhythm sticks.(You have rhythm sticks, but they don't. It helps the children to see that you have exchanged them behind your back if you have two different colors of sticks. I am using the first verse here, but you can do this activity with any of the verses.)
"Choose the Right" - click, click, click with the Rhythm sticks
"When the choice is placed before you" - put the sticks behind your back and exchange them into a different hand
"In the right" -click, click, click
"The Holy Spirit guides" - exchange behind the back
"And it's light" - click, click, click
"Is forever shining o'er you" - exchange behind the back
"When in the right"-click, click, click
"Your heart confides" - exchange behind the back
Excellent. Let's try it with rhythm sticks. (Your pianist and other adults pass out rhythm sticks to the children.) If you use these inappropriately, I take them, no questions asked. (Pause) Let's try the pattern!
Click, click, click, exchange around the back.
Begin singing the verse as you do the pattern with the children. When you come to the end of the verse, call out "Freeze!"
Partners!
Great job, and you are good enough for another challenge! (Ask an older child to be your partner.) Here's the new pattern.
Stand across from the child. Do these motions to a steady beat. Begin to sing the song as you do the actions with your partner.
Click, click, put both rhythm sticks in one hand, pass both rhythm sticks to your partner.
"Choose the Right" - click, click, put both in one hand, exchange sticks with your neighbor
"When the choice is placed before you" - click, click, put both in one hand, exchange sticks with your neighbor
"In the right" - click, click, put both in one hand, exchange sticks with your neighbor
"The Holy Spirit guides" - click, click, put both in one hand, exchange sticks with your neighbor
Call out to the children, "Find a partner!"
Count down from 10, then start the pattern, calling out the actions. "Click, click, both, exchange!"
Begin to sing the song. This time sing it all the way through, including the chorus. You may want to sing the song and do the pattern one more time, this time challenging the children to sing if they can! Thank the children and ask them to pass their rhythm sticks to their teachers.
Younger Children
Can your hands follow my hands? Pretend like you have rhythm sticks. (You have rhythm sticks, but they don't. It helps the children to see that you have exchanged them if you have two different colors of sticks.)
"Choose the Right" - click, click, click with the Rhythm sticks
"When the choice is placed before you" - put the sticks behind your back and exchange them into a different hand
"In the right" -click, click, click
"The Holy Spirit guides" - exchange behind the back
"And it's light" - click, click, click
"Is forever shining o'er you" - exchange behind the back
"When in the right "-click, click, click
"Your heart confides" - exchange behind the back
Excellent. Let's try it with rhythm sticks. (Your pianist and other adults pass out rhythm sticks to the children.) If you use these inappropriately, I take them, no questions asked. (Pause)
Let's try the pattern! Click, click, click, exchange around the back.
Sing the song, including the chorus, and do the pattern with the children as you sing. Call out, "Freeze!"
Ask the children to turn towards the back wall and do the pattern. Click, click, click, exchange around the back.
After a few phrases, call out, "Freeze!" and ask the children to turn towards another wall. Continue singing and doing the pattern.
Call out, "Freeze!" one more time during the song and ask the children to turn yet another way. Continue singing and doing the pattern.Thank the children and ask them to pass their rhythm sticks to their teachers. The children are moving to the beat, interacting with the song, feeling the energy of this song, and hearing the song over and over again. And it is fun!