Partner Body Rhythm patterns

This is an activity that works well with older children, but not so well with younger children.

Beforehand preparations

As with the solo body rhythm patterns, you will create a pattern to the steady beat of the song using stomps, patsches, clapping, shoulder tapping, and forearm cross tapping.

Activity

Start with a solo body rhythm pattern.  Demonstrate it for the children as you sing the song.  Ask them to do the pattern with you as you sing.

Now add an extension to the activity.  Ask someone to come up and do the pattern with you, only this time the clapping will be clapping across with your partner or crossing your forearm tap across with your partner. Sing the song and do the pattern with the partner as a model.  Now ask everyone to get a partner and do the pattern as you sing the song.

Benefit

Those children who take in information while interacting with other people will greatly benefilt from this activity.  In addition, moving to the steady beat strengthens the children’s ability to keep the steady beat in their body as they sing.  They will also hear the song over and over again as they are engaged.