Pre-Kindergarten Music Introduction

Pre-K is getting used to our music routines.  Some of them are already experts from last year and are proud to share their knowledge.  All seem ready and excited for music at each class, which is a great gift to me! 

We've played drums, danced with shakers, and have been singing songs related to being out on a picnic as well as others that work well with our instrument activities.  Each Friday, I will aim to post a list of any new songs we've covered so that families can have an idea of what your pre-kindergarteners may be singing around the house.  In general, students will be exposed to a great variety of musical styles, sounds, and rhythms all year long.  By encouraging the children to use their voices in attempts to match different tones and pitches, they really start to distinguish their singing voices from their speaking voices. To nurture this and development of rhythm and recognition of patterns, we do plenty of “finger rhymes” (using gestures to act out lyrics), play instruments, and use scarves and even a parachute to enhance the movement experience.

Here are some things we’ve done so far:

Rhymes

"Two Little Blackbirds"  (see details at end of post)

"A Peanut Sat on a Railroad Track"  (see details at end of post)

Songs

"Hello Song" (We use this every week and sing each child's name; it will change each quarter)

"O Mister Sun" (English and Spanish)

"Peanut Butter and Jelly Song" (see details at end of post)

"The Ants Go Marching" (with drums)

"Down by the Bay"

"A Ram Sam Sam" (we increase tempo [speed] with each time through)

"Love Somebody" (with drums and bells)

Instrument Rhythm & Tone Activities

Drums (repeating patterns I play; playing at cues during songs)

Bells—resonator bells (like a piece of a xylophone)

Rhythm Sticks

Egg Shakers

Hispanic Heritage Month began September 15^th, and in the coming weeks we will be singing and listening to songs that explore and celebrate this. 

***Because of our limited time together, I will be starting to teach them parts of the things they will perform at our Christmas Concert.  I want them to feel comfortable and excited to share when we get to that time.  I will try not to teach them anything about snow for a while longer, I promise!

Details…

“Two Little Blackbirds”

Two little blackbirds sitting on a hill (hold up 2 pointer fingers as the birds)

One named Jack and one named Jill (move 1 finger for each bird)

Fly away Jack; fly away Jill (“fly” fingers behind back one at a time)

Come back Jack, come back Jill (bring fingers back out front one at a time)

*ADAPT FINGER MOTIONS AND VOICES FOR EACH NEW VERSE

Two little blackbirds flying in the sky

One named Low and one named High (use a high pitched voice for High and low for Low, as well as making one finger go high and one go low)

Fly away Low; fly away High

Come back Low, come back High

*Additional verses (using opposites each time)

Sitting on a lily- Serious and Silly

Sitting on a pole- Fast and Slow

Sitting on the ice- Mean and Nice

Floating on a cloud- Quiet and Loud

“A Peanut Sat on a Railroad Track”

A Peanut Sat on a railroad track

His heart was all a-flutter

Around the bend came the Number Ten

Toot! Toot! SQUISH!

Peanut butter!

*We act out all of these things and then make the peanut tiny to do again, then giant, then super fast, that very slow… and we use different voices for each.

“The Peanut Butter and Jelly Song”

First you take the peanuts and you crunch ‘em, you crunch ‘em (REPEAT)

Peanut, peanut butter (hands dance high in the air to one side_

And jelly (hands dance low to the other side)

Peanut, peanut butter

And jelly

Then you take the grapes and you squish ‘em, you squish ‘em (REPEAT)

Peanut, peanut butter…

Then you take the bread and you spread it, you spread it (REPEAT)

Peanut, peanut butter…

Then you take the sandwich and you eat it, you eat it (REPEAT)

Peanut, peanut butter…

***** Then go through each verse one time before signing “Peanut, peanut butter…”