Curriculum Ideas for Music & Movement at the Preschool Level

Source : Lisa King , ehow.com

Preschoolers are constantly moving. Experts, such as the National Association for Music Education and the National Dance Education Organization, report that children who grow up singing songs, hearing music and dancing do better in math and reading, have better social skills and exhibit higher self-esteem. Give preschoolers a "sensory experience," by creating a music and movement curriculum that reinforces math, language, and social skills. Color recognition rhyming songs, musical drawings, and bear hunt tag are a few curriculum ideas for music and movement for preschoolers.

Color Recognition and Rhyming Song

Children will practice color recognition and rhyming skills while singing "Crayons in the Box,” during music and movement time. Sing to the tune of "Five Little Ducks.” “So many crayons in the box for you, red ones, yellow ones, blue ones too. But the one little color that rhymes with (shoe), (head) it’s my favorite color, it’s the color…. (Blue), (red).”

Change the rhyming words so children can guess a variety of colors. After singing the song several times give students circles cut from different colors of construction paper. Preschoolers will find the circle with the corresponding color and hold it up in the air while singing the song.

Musical Drawings

Tap into a preschooler's creative side by creating magnificent artwork to the tune of music. Have your preschoolers stretch out on the floor. Provide students with a piece of newsprint paper and crayons. Instruct children to draw what the music sounds like. Play a variety of songs with different tunes and beats. When finished, share the artwork with the other children and display it around the classroom. An extension idea may include taking the children outside and playing music on a CD player. Provide heavy white paper, sidewalk chalk and water. The children dip the chalk in the water and paint a picture on the paper.

Hokey Pokey Numbers

Preschoolers will practice number and color recognition while doing the “Hokey Pokey.” Cut numbers out of a variety of colored papers, laminate them and give to each child. Place the numbers on the floor, then call out a color and number. Have your students find the correct number on the floor and do the actions to the song. For example: “You put the red two in, you put the red two out, you put the red two in and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about.” Continue with different numbers and colors.

Bear Hunt Tag

Classic songs like "We're Going on a Bear Hunt," promote movement and social skills. Cut a hole in a large box for the cave. One child will pretend to be the bear and hide in the cave. Students will do the motions to the bear hunt song until the bear is found. The bear chases and tries to tag a student. The first child tagged becomes the bear. Continue until all students have been the bear. Omit the verse that refers to what the bear feels like, since children are trying to get away without being tagged. The Bear Hunt song can be found at the education website, DLTK.