Back to School: {Emily’s Favorite Intervention–We All Go Traveling By Story Board}
August 30, 2019
Singable Book: Pete the Cat Rocking in My School Shoes
September 13, 2019

 

Hello Toneworks friends and readers! Happy National Read a Book Day! It’s sweet that there’s a day dedicated to reading. I loved reading when I was a little kid and now I get to relive that same joy when I use books in my sessions! In my opinion, using actions, making sound effects, or using a silly voice makes reading that much more enjoyable for everyone, not just the kids! Today, I want to share with you my actions for this lovely book called Tap the Magic Tree, and all you need is a drum!

Throughout the book, the reader is instructed to perform different actions (tap, wiggle, shake) to help the tree grow then eventually shed its leaves. For this book, I like to use a gathering drum so multiple people can perform the actions and contribute to the story! Most of the actions are self explanatory thanks to author Christie Matheson who makes it easy to interact with the book from the beginning 🙂
  • Tap the tree- Hit the drum
  • Rub the tree- Rub the surface of the drum
  • Touch each bud- Touch the drum with one finger
  • Jiggle- Move the drum side to side
  • Wiggle- Wiggle your fingers on the drum
  • Brush the petals- Wipe the drum head
  • Blow a kiss- Blow a kiss to a friend
  • Shake the tree-  Shake the drum
  • Knock on the trunk- Knock on the drum
  • Pat the leaves- Gently tap the drum
  • Whooshing Breeze- Scratch the drum
  • Clap your hands- Clap those hands 🙂
  • The Snow- Rumble with your hands
  • Be patient- Don’t touch the drum!
  • Wait!- Keep waiting!
  • Close your eyes and count to ten- Go ahead and do that!
  • Magic- Hit the drum all together