6/1/2015

StorytimeSongsMusicGames

Storytime Songs
by Shauna Tominey
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Conductor
Playthisgamewithyourchildathomeorwithagroupof
childrenintheclassroom.
Materials:
Baton(woodenspoon,stick,ordowel)
Instrumentsforeachorchestramember
Directions:
Leteachchildchooseaninstrument.Youcanuse
homemadeinstrumentsorpotsandwoodenspoons.
Designateonepersontobetheconductor.Whenthe
conductorwavesthebatonquickly,followbyplayingthe
instrumentsquickly.Whentheconductorwavesthebaton
slowly,playinstrumentsslowly.Whentheconductorsets
thebatondown,everybodyfreeze.Alloweachchilda
chancetobetheconductor.

CooperativeMusicalChairs
Materials:
5floormatsorlargepapercutouts
Music(CDorcassettetape)
Directions:
Haveateacher,parentorolderchildplayandpausethe
music.Whenthemusicplays,everybodydancearound
theroom.Whenthemusicstops,everybodyfreezeand
placeonefootonamat.Whenthemusicstartsagain,
continuedancingandremoveoneofthemats.Continue
thegameuntilthereisonlyonematleft.Beforeplayingthe
game,discusstheimportanceofteamworkand
cooperation.

CopyCat
Directions:
Taketurnsplayingtheleaderandthecopycat.The
leaderclapsoutapattern.Thecopycattriestoclapback
thesamepattern.Aschildrenarefirstlearningthisgame,
youcansimplifypatternsbycountingthenumberofclaps
orclappingthesyllablesinyourchildsname.Thisgame
willhelpyourchildlearntohearandmimicdifferent
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StorytimeSongsMusicGames

rhythms.Itwillhelpdeveloplisteningskills,following
directions,takingturns,shorttermmemoryskills,and
more!
Adaptthisgamefortoddlers:
Taketurnsmakingsillysounds.Imitatethesoundsthat
yourchildmakesandencouragethemtomakethesounds
thatyoumake.
Adaptthisgameforinfants:
Imitatethenoisesandcooingsoundsthatyour
infantmakesandnoticetheirreaction.Asyourinfant
growsanddevelops,theirawarenessofthesoundsthat
youmakewilldevelopalso.Theymaystarttoimitateyou!

"IHear"PlayISpywithyourears!
Musicisallaroundus!Youcanhearmusicinbirds
chirping,thevroomvroomofcars,andeventhetelephone
ringing.Onyournextouting,helpyourchildidentifyas
manymusicalsoundsasyoucan.Ifyourefeeling
especiallycreative,putthesoundstogetherintoyourown
song(vroom,flush,whooshwhoosh,tweet!)orusethe
followingexample:
(SingtothetuneofTheFarmerintheDell):
Thecargoesvroom.
Thecargoesvroom.
Ihearmusicallaround,
Thecargoesvroom.
Thephonegoesring
Myfeetgostomp

ListeningBingo
Materials:
Taperecorder
Paperandcrayons
Directions:
Taperecorddifferentsoundsaroundthehouse(sink
running,toiletflushing,doorbell,vacuumcleaner,
telephoneringing).Playthembackandtrytoidentifyeach
ofthesounds.Drawpicturesofthesoundsonpaperand
coverorcrossouteachpicturewhenyouhearthem.Try
tapingvoicesoffamilymembersandfriendsandseeif
yourchildcanidentifywhotheyare!Thisisalsoafun
classroomactivity!Recordthevoicesofeachofthe
childreninyourclassroomandletthemguesstheirfriends
voices!

MusicalSimonSays
Materials:
23differentmusicalinstruments*
(bells,drum,potsandpans)
*snapping,clapping,stomping,canbeusedinplace
ofactualinstruments
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StorytimeSongsMusicGames

Directions:
Taketurnsbeingtheleader.Assigndifferentactionsto
eachinstrument.Forexample,whentheleadershakesthe
bells,everyoneshakestheirheads.Whentheleader
beatsthedrum,everyonestompstheirfeet.Makethe
gamemorechallengingbyaddingmoreinstruments.
Adaptthisgamefortoddlers:
Tryusingoneinstrumenttostart.Whentheleader
shakesthebells,everybodyjumps.Whentheleader
stops,everybodyfreezes.Thegoalofthegame,when
playingwithtoddlers,istohelpthembegintolistenand
translatehearingmusicorsoundsintomovingtheirbodies.
Adaptthisgameforinfants:
Infantsarenotyetatadevelopmentallevelwheretheycan
fullyunderstandtheconceptofMusicalSimonSays.They
can,however,learntoassociatehearingsoundswithbody
movements.Helpinfantskicktheirlegsormovetheirarms
astheyhearadrumbeatorbellsringing.Attachbellsto
theirfeetsothattheycanlearntocreatemusicandsound
bykickingtheirfeet.

Sleeping,Sleeping
Directions:
Chantormakeupyourowntuneandsingthe
followingwords:
Sleeping,sleeping,
Allthechildrenaresleeping.
Andwhentheywokeuptheywerefrogs!
Helpchildrenpretendtosleepduringthesongandthen
allowthemtoactouttheanimaloridea.Encourage
pretendplayandabstractthinkingbyreplacingthe
underlinedwordwithanimals,actions,andmore!

MakeaFlannelBoardStory

Materials:
Scissors
FeltSquaresinavarietyofcolors
Directions:
Enhanceyourchildsfavoritesongswithaflannelboard
story.Cutcharactersoutoffelt(ietheThreeLittlePigs,
OldMacDonaldsfarmanimals)andusethemtoactout
thesongwhilesingingorlisteningtoarecording.Havinga
handsonflannelboardstoryaddsanotherelementto
songsandmakesthestorymoreconcrete.Allowyourchild
toplaywiththepiecesindependently.Theywillbeableto
retellthestoryormakeuptheirownstoriesandsongswith
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StorytimeSongsMusicGames

theirfavoritecharacters!
Tip#1:Notagreatartist?Findfreeclipartontheinternet
thatyoucantracetocreateyourfavoritecharactersor
lookatthefreecoloringpagesonwww.storytimesongs.
comforideas!
Tip#2:Ifyoudonthaveaflannelboard,tryusingthe
backofyourupholsteredcouch!

RhythmCards

Directions:
Helpyourchilddevelopearlyliteracyskillsandlearnto
understandmusicnoteswiththeseeasygames!Startby
havingyourchildclapthesyllablesintheirname(ieKris
ten=clapclap,John=clap).
Whenyourchildisabletorelateclappingtothesyllables
intheirname,you'rereadytostartlearningnotes!Make
yourownrhythmcardsorprintthesefreecards.Helpyour
childcountthenumberofsyllablesinthenameofthe
animal(orobject)onthecard.Noticethatthenumberof
syllablesisthesameasthenumberofnotesonthepage!
(Cat=1note,Turtle=2notes).Claporplayyourfavorite
homemadeinstrumentintimewhilelookingatthecards
andchanting(ie"Cat,catcat").

PrintableRhythmCards(PDF)
QuarterNote(1note=1beat)
car
cat
truck
EighthNotes(2notes=1beat)
ballet
monkey
racecar
turtle
Triplet(3notes=1beat)
basketball
butterfly
dinosaur
SixteenthNotes(4notes=1beat)
caterpillar
rhinoceros

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DancingScarves

Directions:Getoutyourdancingscarvesand
have
adanceparty!Ifyoudonthavedancingscarves,
makeyourown!Visitthefabricdepartmentinyour
favoritecraftstoreandbuyleftoverscrapsof
material.
Cutthemintolargesquaresandrectangles.
PaperPlateSkate

Materials:
2paperplatesperparticipant
Directions:Putonepaperplateundereachfootand
skatearoundtheroomtoyourfavoritesongs!Thisactivity
encouragesawarenessofothersandselfcontrol.Put
conesorotherobstaclesaroundtheroomandtryto
maneuverthroughahomemadeobstaclecourse!Paper
plateskateworksbestonalinoleumfloororthincarpet.

MusicalHugs
Directions:Thisisagreatgametoplaywithasmall
groupofchildrenorevenwithyourfamilyathome!Play
theFreezeGamewithyourfavoritedancemusic!
Designatesomeonetopauseandplaythemusic.
Everyonedancesuntilthemusicstops.Whenthemusicis
paused,findapartnertohug!Continuedancingwhenthe
musicresumes.Thisvariationofmusicalchairs
encouragespositiveinteractions!

JingleJive
Materials:
JingleBellBracelets
(Clickhereforinstructions!)

Directions:Nowthatyouhaveyourjinglebellbracelets
ready,let'strythejinglejive!Havechildrenputtheir
braceletsontheirwristsandanklesanddancearound.Try
stomping,skipping,hopping,andmovinginslowmotion.
Taketurnsconductingwithyourbody!Watchasthe
conductorshakesafoot,anarm,ortheirwholebodyand
trytofollowalong!Thisgameissuretomakeeveryone
laughandit'sagreatactivitytoworkongrossmotorskills,
coordination,followingdirections,turntaking,andmore!
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JingleBellArt
Materials:
Box
Paper
Paint
JingleBells*
Directions:Haveyoueverpaintedwithmarbles?Thisisa
funandeasymusicalvariationonmarblepainting.Put
yourpaperinthebottomofthebox.Dabpaintontoyour
paper.Placejinglebell(s)intothebox.Shaketheboxfrom
sidetosideandlistentothemusicyoucreatewhilethe
jinglebellsrollaroundandspreadthepaint.Enjoyyour
musicalart!
*Thisworksbestwithlargejinglebells.Smallbellsbecome
easilyfilledwithpaint.

NamethatHum!
Directions:Helpchildrendeveloptheirmusicability
throughlistening.Listeninghelpschildrendevelopasense
ofrhythmandpitch.Hum(orwhistle)afamiliartuneand
seeiftheycanguesswhatitis!Iftheyhavetrouble,adda
fewwordsforclues.Letchildrentaketurnshummingtoo!

RollusaSong!
Materials:
Squarebox
Paper
Markersorcrayons
Tapeorglue

Directions:Helpyourchilddraworcolorsixpictures
representingtheirfavoritesongs.Glueortapeeach
picturetoonesideofthesquarebox.Letyourchildrollthe
songblocktochoosewhatsongtosingnext!
*Teachertip:Thisisavariationonusingasongbook(visit
www.storytimesongs.comforsongbookinstructions).Ifyou
areshortontime,asongblockisagreatwaytoinvolve
childreninselectingsongs.
*Funtip:Putbellsinsideyoursongblocktohearafun
jingleeverytimeyourchildchoosesasong!

Drumming

Useyourclassroomdrum,anupsidedownplastic
container,laundryhamper,orevenasturdyboxfor
thisactivity!Thisactivityisgreatforathomeorin
theclassroom.
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Activity#1:Learningnamesandsyllables.
Passthedrumaroundthecircleandhelpeachchilddrum
thesyllablesoftheirname.(ieCharlie,Juan,Melin
da).Countthenumberofsyllablestogether.Other
childrencanclapalongandhelpcountwhilewaitingfor
theirturn.Somechildrenwillbeabletoeasilydifferentiate
betweensyllables,butforothersitwilltakealotofpractice!
Activity#2:Feelingthebeat.
Marcharoundtheroomtogetherwhileateacherbeatsthe
drum.Whenbeatingslowly,havechildrenmoveslowly.
Whenbeatingquickly,havechildrenmovemorequickly.
Thisactivityhelpspracticelisteningskillsandfollowing
directions!Letchildrentaketurnsbeatingthedrum.They
willenjoybeatingquicklyandslowlyandwatchingtheir
friendsmovetotheirbeat.
Activity#3:Bodybeats.
Likeactivity#2,thisgamehelpschildrenlearntolistento
differentrhythmsandfollowdirections.Chooseachildto
startasthedrummer.Letthedrummerchooseabody
movement(ieclaphands,shakehead).Asthedrummer
beatsthedrum,helptheotherchildrenclaporshake
quicklyorslowlyalongwiththebeatingofthedrum!Pass
thedrumaroundandletthenextdrummerpickanew
movement!Thisisagreatwaytogetinsideexerciseona
rainyday!

MusicMaps
Materials:
Paper
Crayonsormarkers
Yourfavoritemusic
Directions:Onyourmarks,getset,draw!Turnonyour
favoritemusicandscribblealong.Trydrawingalongtofast
songsandslowsongs.Doyounoticeanydifferencesin
yourdrawings?Letthemusicyouchooseinspireyour
artwork!

TopSchoolinBangalore
BestICSE/CBSESchoolinBangalore.

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