Browse the cumulative list of “Playing Music” suggestions, Levels 1, & 2. Let each trigger your own playfulness, help you to create new ideas, and adopt or adapt favorites. You receive one suggestion for “Playing Music” with each Lesson. Here all of them are grouped by type of activity, categorized by difficulty level, and titled for easy reference. Check back occasionally for additions. Level 2 Activities are introduced in Classes 2-6 and include Rhythm Dialogue, Resting Tone, Macro/Micro Beats, and Movement Activities. CCS Curriculum Overview
Rhythm Dialogue
Rhythm Dialogue invites participation, encourages interaction, and stimulates “Music Babble.” Just as a young child’s meager attempts to speak can grow into high levels of language development and thinking, so can a child’s meager attempts at music dialogue grow into high levels of musical thinking and improvisation.
Question/Answer—Chant one rhythm pattern as a question, another as an answer. Each pattern can be delivered with a different inflection every time. Be expressive, as if in conversation. Make a “good rhythm story” out of your Rhythm Dialogue. Play with your child as if you were a couple of jazz musicians playing off of each other—improvising—even if the other musician is only smiling.
Question/Question— Chant every rhythm pattern as a “question” by simply raising your voice at the end of each pattern. Leave space for your child’s response, and then “ask” another “rhythm question.” You may not get any "answers," but the series of questions will become a game in itself. Initiate the game repeatedly, as you might “peek-a-boo,” even if you get no response or just a smile of awareness of the game. Your rhythm “questions,” are encouraging “Rhythm Babble,” while setting the stage for rhythm improvisation.
Toy Dialogue—Add another dimension to your use of toys dancing with Rhythm and Tonal Activities. Use one toy yourself and give a similar toy to your child. Make your toy dance while you sing or chant, encouraging your child to make the other toy dance. Try taking turns making the toys dance while you continue to sing or chant. Your child might engage in non-verbal dialogue by simply making the toy dance. Or, you might hear some “Music Babble.” Keep the song or chant going throughout to maintain a musical context for the “game.”
Telephone Conversation—A toy telephone makes a wonderful “musical instrument” for any Dialogue Activity. Pick up the receiver or cell phone as if to talk, and chant a rhythm pattern. Hand the receiver to your child for an opportunity to respond. Take turns with the telephone, whether or not your child responds. The “game” sets up the give and take of dialogue, modeling “musical conversation.” The more you use the telephone for Rhythm Dialogue, the more likely your child will be to initiate “Music Babble” independently with the telephone.
Telephone and Toy—Expand the previous activity of using a toy telephone for Music Dialogue. Use a favorite doll or stuffed animal to dialogue with you on the telephone. Put the receiver to your ear and deliver a rhythm “question;” then put the receiver to the toy’s ear while you deliver the “answer.” You child will think the toy is responding. You may find your child wanting to take a turn, or, “playing Rhythm Dialogue” with the toy and the telephone with his own “Rhythm Babble.”
Microphone—Use a toy microphone, an empty toilet paper roll, or any object suggesting the shape of a microphone. Deliver your part of the Dialogue in the microphone, then hold it up to your child to respond. Continue dialogue in the microphone, alternating turns, even if your child’s response is simply a smile.
Hand Mike—Engage in Dialogue using your hand as a microphone, as if you were holding a microphone. Deliver your part of the Dialogue into the “hand mike,” and then put your “hand mike” in front of your child’s chin for response. It is fun to see how quickly little children comprehend the use of a “microphone.” Whether or not your child responds with dialogue, you may get him to offer his “hand mike” to you to dialogue.
Puppet—You can get a lot of miles out of Music Dialogue with a puppet. Work the puppet as you echo the patterns on the recording and your child will think it is the puppet that is singing. The puppet’s musical response may stimulate your child to respond in new ways, as often a child will sing with a puppet when he won’t with a person. Make the puppet available for independent play, and your little one may imitate your model and make the puppet sing. Using the puppet only for Music Dialogue might stimulate even more Music Babble. A sock puppet is just fine, and can be made from an old sock with a couple of eyes made with a marker.
Puppet Pals— Put a puppet on each hand. Use one to deliver patterns with the recording and the other to repeat each pattern during the silence, modeling Musical Dialogue for your child. Offer your child one of the puppets to Dialogue with you. Often a child will overcome his own inhibitions in order to make a puppet sing, both in Dialogue with you and during independent play. A sock puppet can be made from an old sock with a couple of eyes made with a marker. Your child’s old sock may be just the right size for that little hand, though he is sure to prefer whatever you have on your hand, even if identical to his!
Building Blocks—Use your child’s favorite blocks or building toys with Rhythm Dialogue. Place a block while chanting a rhythm “question,” encouraging your child to add a block with his rhythm “answer.” You can demonstrate the game using one hand with one block for the “question,” and another for the “answer.” And, you can simply build with the blocks in rhythm, modeling for your child another way to “Play Music,” stimulating Music Babble.
Painting Duo—Use a couple of dry paint brushes or pastry brushes—one for you, one for your little one. Paint the wall, paper, or air, while you echo patterns with the recording, setting up the model for dialogue. You might demonstrate dialogue by using the two paint brushes yourself. Deliver a rhythm “question” with one painting hand an “answer” with the other. Engage your child in playing with you, even if he just holds the paint brush and smiles.
Level 3 Rhythm Dialogue Activities
Resting Tone
Resting Tone is to tonal what beat is to rhythm. It is the tonal center around which the tonality is organized. Perceiving the Resting Tone is important to developing a “sense of pitch.” These activities make the Resting Tone tangible so you and your child can play with it.
Resting Tone Squat—You will hear song fragments followed by the Resting Tone. Sing along and gently “squat” (at least bend the knees) each time you sing the Resting Tone. Play the game repeatedly. The Resting Tone may cue your child to move or “squat,” or the “squat” may cue your child to silently hear the Resting Tone, much as a simple gesture cues a child to “wave bye-bye” or play “peek-a-boo.” Let the joy of the up and down movement reflect the aural, rather than upstaging the Resting Tone. Listen for “Music Babble” and see if your child might actually be vocalizing on the Resting Tone, or perhaps moving or “squatting” with the Resting Tone.
Quiet Squat—Sing along and gently “squat” each time you sing the Resting Tone. After playing the game repeatedly, simply “squat” (at least bend the knees), and wait for your little one to sing the Resting Tone—or, sing the Resting Tone and wait for your little one to “squat” or move in some knowing manner. Whether or not you get a response, the activity will stimulate the anticipation of the Resting Tone.
Toy Resting Tone—Use a favorite doll or stuffed animal to help you “sing the Resting Tone.” Your child will think the toy is singing. This activity will continue to reinforce the Resting Tone, while modeling that “everybody” sings the Resting Tone. You may ultimately find your little one trying to make the toy sing by his own “Music Babble.”
Rolling Resting Tone—Sit on the floor with your little one, with legs spread apart. Roll the ball to your little one as you sing the Resting Tone. If your little one plays along, encourage rolling the ball on the Resting Tone. If your little one does not play along, continue to roll the ball each time you sing the Resting Tone. However your child does or doesn’t respond, rolling the ball on the Resting Tone will reinforce your child’s perception of the Resting Tone.
Peek-a-boo Resting Tone—Play peek-a-boo with the Resting Tone. Hide during the short song fragments and then appear singing the Resting Tone. This can be effective with something in front of your face or your child’s, peeking around a corner, or in any way that you and your child play peek-a-boo. It will encourage the anticipation of the Resting Tone, which is important to music learning.
Resting Tone Hat—Use a hat to play with the Resting Tone. Listen to each short melodic segment bare-headed, and put the hat on your head each time you sing the Resting Tone. Try putting the hat on your child each time you sing the Resting Tone, and encourage your little one to imitate your game. You may find him playing with the hat and the Resting Tone during independent play.
Resting Tone Chair—Stand to sing each melodic segment, and sit down on a chair with the resting tone. Play the stand/sit game throughout the activity, modeling for your little one to do the same. Look for your child’s imitation of the game during independent play, or his inviting you into the game through his own initiation. If your little one has a chair of his own, use it with this activity so you each have a “Resting Tone Chair!”
Jack-in-the-Box—This game is the opposite of other activities with the Resting Tone. Squat down with your little one during each melodic segment and pop up with the Resting Tone. Your little one will enjoy being the Jack-in-the-Box, and may forget himself enough to deliver the Resting Tone each time he pops up.
Macro/Micro Beats
Macro beats are the big beats. Micro beats are the divisions of Macro beats. The organization and relationship between Macro and Micro beats defines the various meters. A “sense of rhythm” is dependent upon perceiving both Macro and Micro beats. These activities aurally reinforce Macro and Micro beats, while bringing them to the foreground so you and your child can play with them.
Tonguing—Hold your child while standing and gently move while chanting the familiar chant with the recording. The “Tonguing” section begins with Micro beats. Bounce with each “T” and “tongue” along with Micro beats. The next pattern will shift the “Tonguing” to Macro beats. Sway from one foot to the other while “tonguing” Macro beats. As the “Tonguing” alternates patterns from Micro beats to Macro beats, alternate your movement from bouncing Micro beats to swaying Macro beats, “tonguing along.”
M & Ms—Move while chanting the familiar chant. Bounce with your child while “Tonguing” Micro beats, and sway from one foot to the other while “tonguing” Macro beats. When you are comfortable bouncing Micro beats and swaying Macro beats, try both together in the context of the familiar chant—shifting weight from one foot to the other with Macro beats, while maintaining the bouncing with Micro beats.
Rhythm Sticks—“Tongue” Macro and Micro beats and tap them on the floor with rhythm sticks, dowel rods, or wooden spoons. Let your arms bounce high in a vertical direction between Macro Beats, and closer to the ground with Micro Beats, making the contrast between Macros and Micros apparent in movement as well as in sound. Give your little one a pair of sticks or spoons so he can play Macro and Micro Beats with you. Don’t try to instruct precision, but rather, just model Macro and Micro beats and enjoy “Playing Music” with your child. Be prepared to trade sticks repeatedly with your little one, as yours are always more attractive!
Dancing Dolly—Make a favorite doll or stuffed animal dance Macro and Micro Beats. Bounce the doll while you “tongue,” moving your arm up and down for Micro Beats, with sweeping movement left and right for Macro Beats. Look for your little one to begin tonguing and making the doll dance during independent play.
Macro/Micro Mirror—Play with your child and with Macro and Micro beats in front of a mirror. Bounce Micro beats and sway Macro beats, with your child in your arms or in your lap. Moving Macro and Micro beats in front of a mirror, complete with “tonguing,” will reinforce Macro and Micro beats through sound, sight, and feel, while encouraging your child to “Play Music” independently in front of a mirror.
Water Music—Use one of your child’s bath toys to play Macro and Micro beats in the tub. Make a duckie or boat chip the water with Micro beats and glide with Macro beats. The sound of the toy in the water echoes and accompanies “tonguing,” while the movement of your arm reinforces the relationship between Macro and Micro beats. You may find your little one engaging in Music Babble, while “Playing Music” in the water.
Movement
Movement embodies every aspect of music and is of prime importance in developing music skills. Level 1 Activities include many that use movement. This section of Level 2 Activities includes more advanced Movement Activities, including those that expand on “flowing movement” and the use of “space.” See Macro/Micro Beat Activities above for Movement Activities that interact with beat. In addition, you will find movement incorporated into Dialogue and Resting Tone Activities above.
Handy Painting—Paint the imaginary walls around you, using your open hands as paint brushes and moving your arms broadly to cover a lot of space. Bend and stretch as you “paint,” using both arms to cover as much space as possible. Encourage your child to imitate your flowing movement.
Directing Traffic—Move your arms as might a traffic cop, using both arms in broad gestures that cover a lot of space. Bend and stretch to use the whole body in movement. Encourage your child to imitate your flowing movement with the song or chant.
Swimming—Play “swimming” to encourage flowing movement while you sing or chant. Extend your arms through space as you might through water, literally saturating you and your little one in the meter. Play with movement on the beat and through the beat. Include the breast stroke, side stroke, or back stroke. Make your movement so inviting that your little one will imitate, engaging in movement and Rhythm Babble.
Scarf Dance—Use a scarf or light dish towel for flowing movement. Hold the ends of the scarf so the broad surface floats through the air. Move your arms through space as you sing, letting the scarf dance on the wind. Play with arm movement on the beat as well as through the beats. Give your little one a similar scarf and encourage participation. You may find your little one singing while playing with the scarf independently.
Space Walk—Move fluidly in space with arms outstretched as if space walking. Move weightlessly through the beats, flowing in space. Let the music move you rather than moving to the music. |
