Egg Shaker patterns

Beforehand preparation:

Obtain enough egg shakers (or shakers of another kind) for the children. Make a rhythm pattern of shaking and tapping to use with shakers as the song is sung.

Activity:

Model the rhythm pattern with the shaker.  Ask the children to pretend to hold a shaker and do the pattern as you sing the song. Pass out the egg shakers and do the pattern as you sing the song.

Extender:

Ask the children to turn towards the back wall and do the pattern again as you sing.

Combine the egg shaker with an unsharpened pencil to tap against the egg shaker.  Shake, shake, tap, tap, tap or in 3, shake, shake, shake, tap, tap, tap.

Change the egg shaker to a different hand and do the pattern

Benefit:

Movement to the beat is a powerful way to help the brain organize itself.  Every child gets to actively participate in learning the song by moving to the pattern as the song is sung, helping them to better sense the beat of the song.