May 23, 2025 | Activities, Teachers
Here is a lively Hanukkah activity on the gathering drum that is great for your youngest music makers and students learning to read rhythm! Don’t have a gathering drum? Small unpitched percussion also works great! Don’t forget to use code HOLIDAY10 to get an extra 10% off all items in the shop!
Students play the steady beat on their knees and then the rhythm for the words “spin, spin, spin, win, win, win, or pat, pat, pat!” on the gathering drum. (3 quarter notes and a rest) The “Take A Potato” song is from the album Cha Cha Chanukah by the Shirettes. Members, you can find the lesson plan and recording in your Rhythm Readers curriculum!
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Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Whether its kitchen instruments, Remo drums or Sound Shapes, or assorted percussion, here’s a couple of fun, easy songs that can offer little solo opportunities, splitting the group for specific parts, structured large group playing and exploration/improvisation time.
These are two of many of the activities I used from the Sound Shape Playbook at a recent event. Here’s a peek at Ten Musicians Drumming and Alabama Gal. Find this book in the Weekly Specials section of the Music Rhapsody shop along with other selected items! (Members, use your coupon code to save even more!)
Free to Music Box Members! PowerPoint, music and lesson suggestions for Alabama Gal are in Music Box Downloads. There’s also tips and activity ideas on drum circles. (Not a member? Join now!)
Aug 13, 2024 | Activities
Drum Circles include “free play” for exploration, improvisation, enjoying the groove!
But having structured activities bring a lot of fun and satisfaction to the music making group.
One source that is very helpful is the Sound Shape Playbook. www.musicrhapsody.com
The activities are quick and easy to add for any type of drums, percussion, homemade instruments, kitchen music, etc.
1 2 Tie My Shoe – leader does one two, circle does words
Repeat with one side doing numbers, other side doing words
Repeat bass tone on numbers, rim tone for words
Play low drums verses high drums
Alabama Gal This activity is in the Sound Shape Play book, as well as the included CD. The free download in Lynn Kleiner’s Music Box also includes activity suggestions and free PowerPoint for classroom use too.
Ten Musicians Drumming – Play on the numbers and short solos make this exciting.
They played like this……….they played like that, they played with their friends, they played with their baby, they played in the kitchen, they played in the car, ten musicians drummmmmmming.
Video – During the pandemic, masked families enjoyed an outdoor event!
Listen to another rhythmic favorite from My Trip to the Mountains Book/CD, She’ll be Comin Round the Mtn.
For more on percussion favorites, see Lynn’s resources and training, musicrhapsody.com.
