Magic Crayon (Y)
This activity is good for children ages 3 to 7.
Beforehand Preparation
Listen to the song and figure out sweeping movements and circular movements to the beat of the song as if you were holding a crayon and drawing on a very large piece of paper.
Activity
Tell the children you have a magic crayon. Pretend to pull it out of your pocket and hold it up for all to see. Make a magic "poof" sound and tell the children that your crayon is a certain color. (I will sometimes say it is a certain color with another color of sparkles.) Ask the children to pull out their magic crayons and decide what color they will be. Ask their crayons to follow your crayon. Sing the song and draw simple patterns in the air to the beat of the song. Be especially aware of crossing the body with your hand and arm (so that it crosses the midline). After singing, ask the children what color their crayon was. Receive their answers. Ask the children to change the color of their crayon with another magic "poof." Sing the song again, drawing in the air.
Benefits of this Activity
Good for crossing the midline (See Chapter 10). Great for active participation in the learning process (See Chapter One). Good for kinesthetic and visual intelligences (See Chapter 5). Good for engaging the younger child even when the song has a slower tempo.
This activity is good for children ages 3 to 7.
Beforehand Preparation
Listen to the song and figure out sweeping movements and circular movements to the beat of the song as if you were holding a crayon and drawing on a very large piece of paper.
Activity
Tell the children you have a magic crayon. Pretend to pull it out of your pocket and hold it up for all to see. Make a magic "poof" sound and tell the children that your crayon is a certain color. (I will sometimes say it is a certain color with another color of sparkles.) Ask the children to pull out their magic crayons and decide what color they will be. Ask their crayons to follow your crayon. Sing the song and draw simple patterns in the air to the beat of the song. Be especially aware of crossing the body with your hand and arm (so that it crosses the midline). After singing, ask the children what color their crayon was. Receive their answers. Ask the children to change the color of their crayon with another magic "poof." Sing the song again, drawing in the air.
Benefits of this Activity
Good for crossing the midline (See Chapter 10). Great for active participation in the learning process (See Chapter One). Good for kinesthetic and visual intelligences (See Chapter 5). Good for engaging the younger child even when the song has a slower tempo.
