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Thanks to one of our wonderful practica students, we have another new favorite from our ECSE classrooms to share! I love it when music therapy students challenge me to think outside the box for new interventions! This activity has been a huge hit with the students, and although shakers are the #1 request, it is easy to adapt for any instrument! The fun shuffle and engaging guitar riffs make it a great activity for addressing gross motor, following directions, and peer interaction. Here is a link to the song!

-Start with “ Ready… set….everyone start shaking” playing A7 shuffle

Listen to me on how to play the shakers

Listen to me on how to play the shakers

If you do well and play along

I’ll ask you how to play uh huh!

Just shake

Everybody just shake

Everybody with a shaker just play oh play today

And… stop.

Tap your shakers Tap tap tap

Tap your shakers uh uh huh

If you do well and play along

I’ll ask you how to play uh huh!

Just Tap

Everybody just Tap

Everybody with a shaker just play oh play today

And… stop.

You can either give directions for how to play after going through each verse, or ask the students to give ideas for their peers to follow. It’s also a really easy intervention to use with any instrument!