Partner Arm Swings

This activity works well with younger children to help them feel the beat.

Beforehand

Plan some arm swings and “freezes” to the beat of the song you want to teach.  I recommend the freezes come at the end of the phrases.

Activity

Ask a child (one of the oldest) to come up and be your partner.  Sing a phrase of the song, freeze, and sing the next phrase.  Now ask that child to choose a friend and you choose another friend.  Sing the song and do the arm swings with some well-placed freezes.  Ask all the children to find a friend.  Make sure the teachers and presidency are aware of any children that need to find a friend and they buddy up with them.  Sing the song and do the arm swings with some freezes.

Extender

Ask everyone to find a new friend and do the activity again as you sing the song.

Benefit

This active, large muscle activity is a great way for the children to sense the steady beat of the song while they hear the song over and over again to make a map of those sounds and the beat in their head.