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Group Time Activities for Music & Movement for Preschoolers

Music and movement are perfectly complemented pairs for teaching preschoolers abstract reasoning, coordination and music skills. Abstract reasoning skills are developed through the anticipation of the beat of the music. Coordination skills are developed by teaching children to use both hands to beat a drum in a controlled, rhythmic pattern. Music skills come from listening and responding to music using both physical and mental processes. Whether the child is listening and responding to a new song or walking around the room to the beat of that song, music and movement are two actions that complement each other well.

Awareness


Ask the preschoolers to sit in a circle on the floor. Place one child in the center, standing up. Have the child in the center close his eyes; instruct him to point in the direction that he hears music. Point to a random child in the outside circle and request that she sing a few notes. The child in the center of the classroom must quickly turn toward the singing child and point in the direction of the sound. When the child in the center correctly locates the singing child, the child that was located goes in the center and the game continues.

Drawing


Provide the children with paper and a marker or set of crayons. Begin playing a musical selection of your choice. Choose music that is calming and not too energetic to help keep the preschoolers’ attention. Ask the children to draw impressions of the music based on what the children are hearing. Tell them to attempt to draw the melody as well as they can. When the music gets higher, they should trace a line that extends to the top of the paper, when it gets lower tell them to draw to the bottom. Have them switch hands between pieces to develop both hands.

Drama


Pick a song that has words the children can understand. Go over the words ahead of time and put on a dramatic act that portrays the children’s interpretation of the music. The children can point, make faces and interpret the music with yelps or cries. Encourage each child to experiment and develop his ability to express his interpretation of the music. Allow the children to paint and color pictures to include in the drama.

Marching


Marching to the beat of the song is an activity that will develop coordination, provide the children with a physical release and teach them how to identity the beat in a song. Play a song that the children seem to like and know. Ask all the children to stand up and begin marching in time. Tell them to try and match your footsteps as much as possible. Form a line and begin marching around the room with all of the children following you in time. With enough practice, a child will begin to match your steps and learn to identify the beat in music on his own.

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