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!