Materials
None
Instructions
- Say the following rhyme with the children and act it out.
Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate.
The first one said, "Oh my, it's getting late."
The second one said, "It's cool this air." (hug, like you're trying to keep warm)
The third one said, "But we don't care." (shrug shoulders)
The fourth one said, "Let's run and run and run." (run in place)
The fifth one said, "It's only Halloween fun."
Then "Whooooooo" went the wind, and out went the lights, (clap hands
loudly on "out went the lights")
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight. (roll arms together)
Instructions
1. Gather a variety of items. (Garage sales are a great place to look.). Transform
the items into rhythm band instruments.
2. Wrap the bowl end of a wooden spoon with a few rubber bands and show
the children how to use it as a mallet to strike a pot lid.
3. Wrap a few rubber bands around a closed, empty Styrofoam egg carton.
Show the children how to rub the side of an unsharpened pencil back and
forth along the carton's "bumps" to make an unusual sound.
4. Put some metal nails or screws into a small metal tin and glue the top closed.
For safety, secure the top with duct tape too. Show the children how to shake
the tin to produce sounds.
5. Pour 1/4 cup of unpopped corn or dried beans into a clean, empty half-gallon
milk or juice carton. Glue on the top and secure it with duct tape. The
children can hold the container by the handle and shake it to produce
sounds.
6. Obtain two pot lids. Show the children how to strike them together, like
cymbals, to produce sounds.
7. Make sure you have more instruments than children, then invite each child to
choose an instrument to play.
8. Ask the children to form a circle. Then ask everyone to turn to the right. Play
the music and encourage the children to march around in the circle for a
parade. If possible, take the music outside and let children march around the
play yard.
9. Let each child have a turn to lead the parade.
More to do
Dramatic Play: Encourage the children to present a parade of stuffed animals,
dolls, or cars and trucks.
