Making props for the preschool musical

One of the dances in my preschool program is called Caterpillar Conga and I wanted to have each boy be a part of the caterpillar. I had to choose between a polka-dotted caterpillar, circle caterpillar, or just plain green.

I cut twelve circles out of large sheets of foam board and painted them green!

Here are the circles set up in my garage.

I thought you might like to know that I used rolls of old Christmas wrapping paper to work on.

Here is my Caterpillar all green.

Here is the caterpillar after adding an orange circle to the middle of each green circle!

And here is my caterpillar after adding polka-dots on the green. 

I just love making props!!

Preparing for a musical production in preschool

Each year, I have the privilege of directing a preschool musical at one of our local schools. I thought I would share a few tips about preparing preschoolers to sing or dance for their parents...

To help the children know where to stand during the presentation, I mark the floor with colorful painters tape. Painter's tape is easily removed but don't leave it up too long (I remove after three to four weeks) or it can become really stuck and leave a sticky residue. Masking tape is almost impossible to remove so use the painter's tape instead.

I place lines and "X's" on the floor so the children will know where to walk and where to stand during their dance. I have children as young as two years old that I teach to walk on the line and to find an "X".  The children catch on quickly and I keep it fun by letting them march around the square and dance on an "X".

I keep all the "X's" the same color so the children do not worry about having to stand on a particular color. It helps remove some of the stress of not getting their favorite color and instead focus on dancing together!

The taped area is large enough for the entire group to stand on the line side-by-side without hitting or bumping into each other as they move their arms or turn around.

At this school, the children sit on a stage in their ready position and then follow the moves of the music director as she shows them how to move their arms, or in this case, their scarves in a rhythmical motion as they dance to a spider web ballet!  The children are excellent at following the movements of the teacher.

The girls dance around the stage, following their lines, and then back up to front. Notice how we are learning to walk on our tiptoes!

There are several other tips I would recommend following for a successful experience...

1. Choose music the children can relate to or will enjoy listening and moving to.

2. Don't start practicing too soon before the show or the children will start to lose their enthusiasm and get bored - but do allow enough time for the children to feel confident about all the movements.

3. Don't force a child to participate but do encourage the child to participate every time you practice.

4. Keep the dances or songs you plan to sing fun and simple and teach the skills you would like the children to learn.

Skills we learn

The preschoolers practice motor skills such as marching, skipping, kicking, balancing on one foot, jumping, and more.

The preschoolers master such skills as listening, moving rhythmically, and working together to make and move in a group circle, march at the same time, and so forth.

My Number One priority is to make sure preschoolers are enjoying the experience:

It is extremely important to make sure the children are having fun and feeling confident. What I don't want in the end is to have robots on the stage doing all the same thing and wishing they didn't have to be there. What I do want is to highlight the skills and ability and natural expressions of the children as they dance together and have fun in the process!

See how Teacher Tom helps his children create and present their very own play!

Teaching simple songs in preschool

I wrote this article for Teaching Tiny Tots a few months ago on teaching simple songs to preschoolers.  In this article, I talk about using the S-I-M-P-L-E method when introducing simple songs and fingerplays to young children.

Singing and Chanting the Itsy Bitsy Spider!

Using musical instruments in the preschool classroom

There are a variety of ways you can use musical instruments in the classroom.

Create a music center and try adding...

• Baskets of musical instruments
• A CD Player
• A pretend microphone
• A mirror
• A little platform for a stage (square)
• Posters and books about music, composers, notes, and nursery rhymes.
• Staple together little books of notation paper and add drawing tools for children to create their own songs. 
• Baskets of movement props like paper plates, ribbon sticks, and scarves. 
• Home made instruments: Check out these awesome homemade drums and drumming activities from Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning!
• See this music book from Fleet of Fun

Music Box

Create a music box. Choose a different type of instrument to put in the music box each week. If you choose to use a music box - make sure you have plenty of instruments to go around because it will be a big hit.

Rhythm Stick

In your circle time, add musical instruments to a familiar song. Here are a few examples:

• Add a rainstick to the song "Itsy Bitsy Spider".  Let the children shake the rain stick back and forth to make the sound of the rain.
• Add a rythm stick for tapping noises to songs like "Johnny Works with One Hammer" or "One Little Hammer Went Tap Tap Tap!"
• Add instruments to songs like ... "If you're happy and you know it" (ring a bell) (tap a drum) (shake a maraca).

Telling stories

Try adding musical sound effects when retelling favorite stories or making up new ones.  For example, "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you hear?  I hear a tambourine shaking in my ear!"


Instead of children telling you a story - try having them dictate to you a song.

Instrument Games

Play an instrument and see if the children can guess what it is.

How else do you use musical instruments in your classroom?

Before you go - read this article written by Lorri at PreK 360: Music Center: Open Daily

Preparing to sing with preschoolers

One of my most favorite things in the whole wide world is using music in the preschool classroom. I could sing and dance all day if given the chance - starting with morning greeting right through the late afternoon wrap up!

Years ago, I stumbled on the secret to building my knowledge of preschool music and fingerplays. This is something you won't be taught in early childhood education classes and you won’t read it in books either so be sure to get your pen out and write it down...

PRACTICE IN YOUR CAR!

Yep, when you’re driving around - turn off the radio and just start singing preschool songs! At first it may seem awkward. When you pull up at a stop light and the guy in the car next to you is looking at you like you've lost your mind, just pretend to be coughing or something.

Use a tape recorder

Another thing I carry around is a little hand held tape recorder. I sing the song into the recorder when I am first learning it so when I get into the car and can't remember the words or tune, I just flip out my recorder and hit play. Then I turn if off and sing it without the help.

Years ago I was returning to Indiana from a trip to an early childhood conference in New Orleans. I had to drive straight through and didn't arrive in Indy until the next morning. What saved my life and kept me awake all night? That little tape recorder with all the Jean Feldman songs (this was before she had any recorded music you could buy). I had taped her singing at the conference and sang them over and over again all the way home. I still know every one of those songs by heart. Try singing for 12 straight hours or more in a row and you will remember them too!

Are you kidding?

No, the reality is that the better you know a song the better you will be able to use it successfully in the classroom. You can use music all throughout the day to give directions, teach concepts, and entertain but you have to really know the songs to do them well. 

Why practice?

The better you know a song, the more you will like it and the more you will use it. When you sing a song that you know well -  your students will pick up on your enthusiasm and grow to love the song too. Besides, after putting in all that practice, your going to want to make sure your students learn those songs:)

Not a Singer?

It doesn't matter. Just sing anyway. In fact, practicing in your car will help you build your confidence and your skills. Don't forget to also practice those chants, poems, and fingerplays too! But don't eliminate the music - your students will pick up on your attitude about singing so give it your best shot and just have fun!

I have a CD player so why do I need to sing?

CD's are fabulous too - they provide wonderful opportunities for music and movement as well as learning new songs to sing. However, there is nothing like being able to whip out a tune when you need your students to give you their attention, clean up the classroom, or wash their hands. Singing gives you more control over when, where, and how you can use the music and it role models a love for music.

Go to Little Fingers That Play and learn new songs now!

Remember...You have the power to influence student attitudes about singing - so use it to help children love to sing!

Extending learning through music and fingerplays in the preschool classroom

Music and fingerplays are a wonderful tool for teaching in the preschool classroom. Do you have a favorite song or fingerplay that you sing or say often with your preschool students?

Print the words
Choose a favorite song or fingerplay that your students know well and print the words out on a large sheet of chart paper. The students already know the words by heart and now they can make the connection between what they hear, sing or say, and what they see.

Much like reading a favorite children's book, favorite songs and fingerplays can be presented to young children through print to help them draw connections between symbols and sounds. Remember, choose songs that your preschoolers already know well.

Point to the words
Once you have the words printed out, recite the song or fingerplay with your students again, only this time, point to the printed words as you do. Leave the printed page out for your preschoolers to view on their own. Some will pretend to read the words simply because they are already familiar with them.

Make word puzzles
For older preschoolers, print the words on sentence strips and then cut them apart like a puzzle. Let the children look at the printed words on the chart and see if they can recreate the words with the strips. Give your students clues like "where is the Capital letter H?" or "Where do you see a comma?".  For those of you who are artistic, you may wish to illustrate the song as well to help younger preschoolers identify the different words in the song.

Sing along
As your students work to explore the words of a song or fingerplay, sing the song aloud often or recite the fingerplay often to remind them of the sounds and words they are viewing.

Adapt
For younger students, cut the words of the songs into phrases rather than individual words. For older students, try mixing up the words and see if they can put them back together. Always leave the chart out with for easy viewing and reference.


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Music Takes Committment

I visited a two-year-old classroom on several occasions and observed that this was not a happy classroom. This was not a fun classroom. It was time to get these children singing and laughing.

I sat with the children on the floor and in a bright happy voice and introduced them to a cute little Hello Song that I use everyday when I am teaching my own class. The twos all just sat down and stared at me with big blank looks on their faces. We (the teachers and I) all laughed at their shock - it was the first time I heard any laughing from anyone in all my visits. So that was a start.

The key to getting children past the stage of shock or dislike of music is to keep singing the same songs over and over again. The more the children hear the song, the more familiar it becomes to them and to you.

It has been said that when introducing a new song, you should sing it at least four times in a row before the children will start to like it and sing along with you.

Don't give up on a new song that you have learned. Your enthusiasm will rub off and the children will start to love what you love. Sing the song often, add hand motions or other movements. As you sing the song often, you will make it your own and it will bring joy into your classroom.

Did you know music is like magic?
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Copyright © 2009 Deborah J. Stewart, All Rights Reserved!

Music is like Magic

In early childhood work, music takes on a magical quality. Music can magically change the experience and atmosphere of your classroom.

If you are thinking, "I can't sing and I don't know any songs so music just isn't for me." Let me encourage you to think again. It isn't how many songs you currently know or how well you sing that creates the magic - it is knowing just a few great tunes and having fun singing them with whatever type of voice you may or may not think you have.

If singing is new to you, it may feel awkward at first but as the children hear you having fun singing or dancing to a familiar tune, they will want to join in on your fun.

Teachers can use music in the classroom for many purposes:

• To capture student's attention
• To create a positive and nurturing environment
• To engage children in the learning process
• To give guidance and instruction
• To enhance self-esteem and confidence

The key to making a magical difference with music is choosing songs that are simple and easy to remember and then practicing them every chance you get. Your version of the song may be a little different than others - but that is okay.

Next time you want everyone to look at you, instead of raising your voice - try singing a catchy tune until everyone is either singing with you or at least looking your way. Get quieter as you sing and then tell your young students what you need.

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What is a fingerplay?
Listen and learn music and fingerplays.

Copyright © 2009 Deborah J. Stewart, All Rights Reserved!