Music Games K-2

Song:

so so so la so so mi

Little Tommy Tiddle mouse

so so la so so mi

lived in a little house

so so mi mi so so mi

Someone's knocking, me-oh-my,

so so mi mi so so mi

Someone's calling, "Who am I?"

Game:

Students sit in a cirlce. One student (Tommy Tiddlemouse) sits in the middler of the circle, hiding his/her eyes. Another student sits behind Tommy Tiddlemouse inside the circle. The class sings "Little Tommy Tiddlemouse lived in a little house. Someone's knocking, me-oh-my, someone's calling" - then the student sitting behind Tommy Tiddlemouse sings "Who am I" alone. Tommy Tiddlemouse has 3 chances to guess who is behind him/her. The visitor is now Tommy Tiddlemouse and a new "mystery visitor" is chosen.

Cup Game With Lower Grades - Jill Young

  I found a way to make this work with Grades 1 and 2, and I may even try K's at the end of the year!
  I just use the first half of the original game, like this:

Beats 1 and 2: Clap, clap
Beats 3 and 4: ti ti ta (on the cup)
Beats 5, 6, 7, and 8: Clap, Grab, pass, rest

  It works

Baton Relay "Phrase" Game

Sing the 1st phrase or line of a song (ie. "Twinkle twinkle little star) while holding the baton (or rhythm stick, etc.). Students are walking around the room to the beat.

Pass the baton on to another student, who then sings the 2nd phrase/line "how I wonder what you are".

While singing his/her line, that student passes the baton to another student close by. Continue on in the same manner.

This can be fun, and a non-threatening way to hear the kids sing individually - they may be concentrating so much on the game that they won't notice they are singing by themselves. This can also be done with a rhythmic poem if students don't want to sing.

Engine Engine #9 Game - Theresa

The game is so easy. Use whatever version of the song "Engine Engine #9" you like. Since it is really a chant, you can use whatever pitches you like as well. (I use "So" and "Mi.") Have the kids sit in a circle. First, practice patting the beat while singing. Then, demonstrate what it will look like when the object goes around the circle to the beat. (I use a little beanie stuffed Dalmatian. It's easy for them to pass and doesn't roll around.) Next, practice passing the animal on the floor around the circle without the song. After the kids have gotten that down, add the song with the passing. After the line "Do you want your money back?," the person who has the animal answers the question with "Yes," "No," or "Maybe." Then, you spell their answer by passing the animal around the circle to the next person for each letter of the answer being spelled (i.e., yes = three passes, no = two passes, and maybe = five passes). Whomever the animal lands on, that student is "out" and gets to pick another student from the circle to take out of the circle with them. (The two kids then pick a rhythm instrument and play the beat while the game goes on.) You can substitute a xylophone for the rhythm instruments or change the beat pattern to a rhythmic ostinato to practice any rhythms the kids need work on. My first graders love this game.

My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean
Noble Duke Of York
These can be done simply by singing the songs and alternating sitting and standing: Bonnie - alternate every time a B word is sung. Duke - alternate on Up and Down. Start s-l-o-w motion and speed up.