May - 4 weeks of Primary Music Activity Ideas: Younger

YOUNGER CHILDREN

(Click the name of the activity to be taken to that page)

WEEK 1 - Take it in, Take it out

This activity is a great way to have the song truly come into the child!  Once you have had two or three different activities introducing the song (two or three different weeks), this is a wonderful way for the child to hear the song in their head.  

On a cue like the ringing of a bell, or the tap of a drum, the children take the song inside and sing it in their head without any sound.  The next cue, the children bring it out and sing out loud again.

WEEK 2 - Be my Mirror

This activity works best with gentle beat songs and with an older child parred up with a younger child.  Ask a child to be your mirror as you sing.  Their hands follow your hands as they mirror you.  (Think of looking in a mirror and moving.)  Instruct the children to move their hands slowly and to the music.

WEEK 3 - Concrete Word Stand In

This activity represents specific key words of the song with a movement.  I often have the children help me make up the movement. Because young children learn best through actions and sight (the don't yet symbolize well), this movement is a strong way to help them learn the concepts of the song.  The better the movement standing in place of the word, the more the children will understand the meaning.

WEEK 4 - Windwands

This activity works with either gentle beat songs, or strong beat songs.  Make up a simple pattern, doing each action of the pattern for at least 8 beats of the song.  The color of the windwands, the fluttering of the ribbons in the wind, and the movement in the body makes this activity one of the children's favorites.