What musical activities can I do?

Question

I need to set up a musical activity in a nursery where I am doing a course. I would love some help. Also, I need an activity that children do everyday in there household, eg washing up. I also need ideas for a sealife display, which is just coursework, things like how to extend it. Thankyou in advance.

Answer 1

"I need to set up a musical activity in a nursery where I am doing a course"

What do you have to use?

"I need an activity that children do everyday in there household, eg washing up"

It's "their" not "there". Nursery age children don't do the washing up. They might pick up their toys, put on their clothes (some of them anyway), help set the table,.

" I also need ideas for a sealife display, which is just coursework, things like how to extend it"

No clue what you're talking about.

Answer 2

musical activity.

loud / quiet - have either soft toy of elephant and mouse in a bag, or pictures of elephant / mouse.  Allow the children to choose an instrument, sing a simple nursery rhyme such as twinkle, twinkle, allowing the children to play their instrument.  Show pictures (or toys) to children.  Ask how they will play their instrument when they see the elephant (LOUD) or mouse (QUIET).  

Repeat the song but show one of the pictures(toys), allow the children time to change how they play their instrument before you show a different card.  

You can change this and allow a child to choose the elephant / mouse. They love to be in charge.

Music acivity 2

Have children in a circle with instruments - allow them to choose one.  Sing a version of 'Old Macdonald had a farm' which goes

'Our friend ..Susan(childs name) had a band,

E I E I O

And in that band she had a ...drum (or whatever instrument)

E I E I O

With a 'bang, bang'here and a 'bang bang' there

Here a .....bang, there a ...bang, everywhere a ..bang bang,

Our friend susan had a band

E I E I O,

You can change each verse for a new child with a new instrument and a new sound that it makes.

The children learn to wait and play the instrument at the correct place.

Our children help set the snack table, putting out plates, fruit and milk.  We sometimes let them pour juice.   We also expect them to tidy up toys properly.

Sealife display

We made jellyfish from a paperplate folded in half, used sequins for eyes, and then hung strips of tissue paper from the bottom of the plate.  

Also bubble painting - washing up liquid with blue/green paint in  a paint pot, children blow through a straw (make sure they dont Suck!!)to produce bubbles (you might have to practise to get the right mixture) and paper is very gently placed on top of bubbles and removed, you get a lovely pattern which makes a lovely background sheet, children can then paint/draw fish/octopus etc to be cut out and stuck onto their 'bubble ' sheet.

If you can get them IKEA have a selection of about 10 finger puppets of sea creatures for about £4 (I think) which are great on a display for children to access

Answer 3

You could sing nursery rhymes

Answer 4

You can get the children to use their motor skills as well as social and emotional skills through music. Try to do an activity with a group where you ask the children to dance or make actions to the different sounds thry hear. Then ask them how that sound made them feel: for ex happy, sad, was it a fast or slow sound. That gets them socialising and showing emotials expression to different musical sounds. Which is all as important in a childs education.  

Good luck

Answer 5

try having them make music with all different instruments, not necessarily meant for music.

its fun

Answer 6

For the musical activity how about combining it with the everyday household idea, collect pot's, pans, basins, metal and wooden spoons, cardboard boxes, Tupperware, pudding basins and even cans of food or coffee cans and turn them into musical instruments but using the spoons, see which items make the loudest noise's

Another idea with the everyday household activity it to take in some raw vegetables and get some large plastic mixing bowls and wooden spoons and get the children to pretend to be cooking the dinner, combine this with washing up the pots afterwards in the water tray

Answer 7

How about nusery ryhmes.

Answer 8

Here are a few ideas for your sealife display/ extended activity:

-Trace the children's hands (minus the thumbs) cut out and glue to the bottom of a half circle shape to make an octopus

- Have the children cut out large star shapes, brush lightly with watered-down glue and then let the children sprinkle on sand to create star fish

- Fingerpaint with blue jello

- Add plastic sea animals, green easter grass (seaweed) and shells to the water table

For more ocean, music or home activities try www.theideabox.com

Hope these help - good luck!

Answer 9

Musical activity:

1) Make your own instruments: shakers-yoghurt pot with rice and a lid. Box with elastic bands or tight string, drum from pringles tubs etc

2) Song time: Have a bunch of props children take it in turns to choose one and they then think of a song that has something to do with that prop.

Household activity:

1) Washing clothes-washing socks-bowls of water and washing powder children can hand wash socks then have to match pairs.

2) Clothes line game: Set up a washing line and have lots of socks. Then the children have to match the socks and hang them on the washing line.

3) Washing up: Water tray and the plastic plates etc from the home corner.

Sealife:

Get a whole range of materials like paper, card, sugar paper, old blankets etc and the children can make a sea life scene, then they can each chose an animal to go in the sea. By doing the display with the children they wil enjoy it and be engaged for longer. It's extended then because the children have done it themselves rather than children just making fish and adult then sticking them up end of the day. You can make the scene on a large piece of paper on floor then hang it up infront of the children.

Other extension ideas can be singing, dance (Ariel the little mermaid music etc), water tray with play animals, candle drawings then rub over with water paints to show up the picture...if u use blue paint that can be a sea picture.

Answer 10

You can make musical instruments

This website is excellent when it comes to finding all kinds of musical activities. All you have to do is type in the search bar as to what you;re looking for.

www.kinderart.com

Answer 11

instruments are great - or make your own - rubber bands around boxes, toilet paper tubes, oatmeal boxes.  How about brushing their teeth for the everyday activity - give them each a toothbrush, invite in a guest to show them proper use.  

Sealife display - "Dive into preschool" with fish - trace their hands for the fish and turn the hand sideways.

Answer 12

for the musical activity the best way to get ideas would be to base the activity on a theme. you could for example do a short musical play in a small group on the theme of seasons (rain and whistling sounds for spring, seashore sound for summer, rustling sounds for autumn and windy sounds for winter). get the children to act out the story of the seasons changing and using different instruments for the sound effects whilst you narrate.

to extend the sealife display have you thought of having a feely board with all sorts of different textures of things that can be found in the sea.

Answer 13

okay.....

Answer 14

Have the kids make their own instruments.  Shoe box guitars, rain sticks, drums from oatmeal containers.  That way it's something they can take home with them.  Instructions for different homemade instruments. Use sites like this to give you ideas or create your own.

http://www.nancymusic.com/PRINThomemade....