3 Ideas for Summer Music Fun
When you live in a place like New England, you want to take advantage of the sunshine during the nice summer days! Sometimes it is hard to find activities to keep the kids entertained, especially ones that are not only fun, but that also continue to foster their development. Summer can be a wonderful time when all the kids are home, but can get tricky if they have too much downtime! It gets hot and sticky, and they might get on each other’s nerves if left to their own devices for too long. You might be trying to keep the peace among your own kiddos, or trying to find new ways for them to connect with the neighbors! Whether you are a parent, music therapist, or teacher of littles, you might find some inspiration!
Activity 1: Colors and Hula Hoops
Materials:
Different colored hula hoops
Construction paper (coordinating with the colors of the hula hoops)
Music
Steps:
Set up the hula hoops in a big circle on your lawn. Have a pile of construction paper of matching colors on hand.
Tell the kids that they can run to each hula hoop and stand in any of them as long as the music is playing. Once the music stops, it is time for them to look up and see what color you are holding up. Once they see the color, they are to run to that color hoop. Whoever gets there first wins that round!
Have them all say the color, or maybe even sing it!
Goals:
In this activity, you are working on color recognition, active listening, spacial awareness, and attending. They know that when the music stops, they need to look for the right color. This can also provide opportunities for social-emotional development, such as negotiating who will be in what circle when the music is playing, and learning to share space with others.
Add-ons/Alternatives:
Instead of playing pre-recorded music, you can sing a simple colors song that coordinates with the color you are holding up for them. This example is set to the tune of “Frere Jacques.”
“Find the red circle, find the red circle,
There it is! There it is!”
Recommendations:
This is geared towards younger children who are still working on color identification and/or kiddos who have difficulty following directions. They are hearing you sing the color, seeing it, and moving to it. This engages more of their senses. Singing the directions will also activate both hemispheres of their brain, instead of just the language part!
Activity 2: Musical Squares
Materials:
Paper
Markers
Scissors
Recorded music (and the ability to start and stop it)
Contact paper (optional)
Steps:
Cut out giant squares (children old enough to use scissors could help with this step too!)
Write directions on them in big letters so they are easy to read. This can be adapted for many ages. Examples are, “act like a monkey,” “hop like a frog,” “do a silly dance,” “roar like a dinosaur,” etc. Idea for durability: if you want them to lsat for a while, put clear contact paper on both sides or laminate them. This helps them stand up to more than one use!
Place the squares in a circle outside.
Have the kids walk in a circle while the music plays. When the music stops, direct them to find the square closest to them to stand on. Then call each child’s name going around the circle to have them follow the direction they landed on.
Add-ons/Alternatives:
Use different songs with varying speeds, and direct the children to try to match the tempo with their walk. Support their awareness with prompts like “okay this is a fast song, we have to walk really fast!” or “now we have to walk rrreeaaalllllllllllyyy slowly.”
Recommendations:
This activity is geared towards children working on motor planning, attending, and following directions.
Activity 3: Pop the Bubbles
Materials:
Bubbles
Your voice
Steps:
For this activity, you can use the nursery rhyme “This is the Way” and sub in “pop the bubbles,” “stomp the bubbles,” and “catch the bubbles.” The children can do the actions while you sing and blow the bubbles.
Lyrics:
(For this one, have the kids poke the bubbles with their isolated pointer to work on fine motor skills.)
“This is is the way we pop the bubbles, pop the bubbles, pop the bubbles.
This is the way we pop the bubbles while playing in the yard.”
(For the next verse, have them stomp their feet, working on big movements and gross motor skills.)
“This is the way we stomp the bubbles, stomp the bubbles, stomp the bubbles.
This is the way we stomp the bubbles while playing in the yard.”
(For the last verse, have them try to catch the bubbles in their hands, working on hand-eye coordination and bringing their hands together at midline.)
“This is the way we catch the bubbles, catch the bubbles, catch the bubbles.
This is the way we catch the bubbles while playing in the yard.”
Author: Jenni Chute, MA, MT-BC
Editor: Sonya Imperio, MT-BC