If I Listen With My Heart- 2nd Verse: Paper Cup Tap pattern for Older Children

It's just a paper cup, but it becomes a magical musical instrument in this activity.

• Patsch, Tap, Switch, Tap

• Patsch, Tap, Switch, Tap

I hold up a paper cup and say to the children,

• "Here is the pattern."  

I show them a couple of times, then say,

• "Pretend you have a paper cup in your hands and do this pattern with me."  

After a while I ask,

• "Who can put how to do this pattern into words?"  I receive the children's answers.  

We do the pattern again, but this time I begin to sing the 2nd verse of this song as we do the pattern.  We do the pattern all throughout the verse. 

Example video HERE

Once we have done the pattern throughout the whole song, I get several adults to help me start passing out the cups.  Before each child even has a cup, I begin the pattern (a management technique to help the transition).

 As they get their cup, they join in tapping on the beat as I sing the song. The brain is working hard to get the coordination of this pattern into a working pattern to the beat.  Meanwhile, the children are hearing the words in the background of the focus on the pattern.

I challenge the children

• "Who knows the pattern well enough to come up and lead this activity?"  

I choose a couple of the children.  They stand in the front while I move to the back.  We do the pattern with the children leading as I sing the song again.

I thank the children and have them sit down.

• "As we do the pattern to the song this time, I challenge you to sing the words.  Occasionally I will call out 'Freeze!'  When I do I will point to a row to give us the next words."

We sing and do the pattern.  I call out "Freeze!" and point to a row.  They tell us the next words.  We start with those words still doing the pattern to the beat.  I call out "Freeze!" a couple of more times, again having a row of children tell the group the next words.

Have the children pass their cups into their teacher.

Extender for this activity:

Take it In, Take it Out

Show the children the signal you are going to use.  (It could be a bell, two rhythm sticks hit together, or any sound.)  Tell the children that when they hear the signal, they take the song we are singing Inside so no sound comes out.  They are only singing in their heads.  When they hear the signal again, they bring the song Out and sing it so everyone can hear.  

Start singing the song, giving the signal at random times throughout the song.