Wind Wands
This activity is good for children from 3 to 7, and in a more advanced way for children 8 to 11.
Beforehand Preparation
Obtain enough wind wands for at least 1/3 of the children in your Primary. Ideas to make the wind wands in Appendix C.
Sing the song and come up with different patterns for the wind wand movement, usually in 4 to 8 beat segments.
The patterns for Younger Children should be more simple than that for Older Children.
For example:
Younger Children = Circle x 8 beats on one side, Switch to the other side and Circle 8x. Paint the Sky x 8, then paint the floor x 8. Repeat the Circle segment, then the Paint segment. Notice that you repeat the movement for 8 beats, then do the same thing on the other side (you'll see that in both segments).
Older Children = Circle x 4 Left, Circle x 4 Right, Snake on the Floor Left x 2, Snake on the Floor Right x 2, Over the Shoulder Left, Over the Shoulder Right. Paint the Sky x 2, Dot, Dot, Freeze (for 2 beats). Repeat the sequence. Notice that the movements come in 4 beat patterns, changing more quickly than they would for younger children.
Here are some of the idea movements for the wind wands:
Circle Left
Circle Right
Circle Up
Circle Down
Dots on the Floor
Figure 8 Front
Figure 8 Down
Figure 8 Up
Freeze
Over the Shoulder Left
Over the Shoulder Right
Paint the Sky
Paint the Floor
Snake on the Floor
Snake Up
Snake Down
Snap
Watch the video to see demonstrations of each of these ideas.
The Activity
Tell the children to watch your hands and to have their hands do what you are doing. (They will not have a wind wand, but you will be using one in order to demonstrate.) After you have demonstrated the pattern, ask the children to watch it again and tell you what your hand is doing (i.e. circle, circle, circle, circle, etc.). Note: for the older children it is helpful to write down simple symbols to help them remember the sequence such as a squiggle line with an arrow pointing to the left for Snake on the Floor Left, or a circle with x4 Left for Circle Left x4.
Ask the children if they would like a wind wand. Tell them there are 2 rules: 1. Move to a place in the room where their ribbons will not touch someone else. 2. If they use the wind wand inappropriately, I will take it. No questions asked. (Be sure you follow through with that in a kind way.)
Have four helpers help you pass out the wind wands. As they pass out the wind wands, begin practicing the pattern so that the children will be pulled straight into the activity. Once you have practiced the sequence once, repeat the sequence and begin to sing the song as you move to the pattern.
Benefits of this Activity
Great for crossing the midline and for practicing steady beat (See Chapter Ten). Good for logical, picture/spatial, and musical intelligences (See Chapter Five). Good for Whole to Part to Whole learning (See Chapter Nine). Great for active participation in the learning process (See Chapter One).
This activity is good for children from 3 to 7, and in a more advanced way for children 8 to 11.
Beforehand Preparation
Obtain enough wind wands for at least 1/3 of the children in your Primary. Ideas to make the wind wands in Appendix C.
Sing the song and come up with different patterns for the wind wand movement, usually in 4 to 8 beat segments.
The patterns for Younger Children should be more simple than that for Older Children.
For example:
Younger Children = Circle x 8 beats on one side, Switch to the other side and Circle 8x. Paint the Sky x 8, then paint the floor x 8. Repeat the Circle segment, then the Paint segment. Notice that you repeat the movement for 8 beats, then do the same thing on the other side (you'll see that in both segments).
Older Children = Circle x 4 Left, Circle x 4 Right, Snake on the Floor Left x 2, Snake on the Floor Right x 2, Over the Shoulder Left, Over the Shoulder Right. Paint the Sky x 2, Dot, Dot, Freeze (for 2 beats). Repeat the sequence. Notice that the movements come in 4 beat patterns, changing more quickly than they would for younger children.
Here are some of the idea movements for the wind wands:
Circle Left
Circle Right
Circle Up
Circle Down
Dots on the Floor
Figure 8 Front
Figure 8 Down
Figure 8 Up
Freeze
Over the Shoulder Left
Over the Shoulder Right
Paint the Sky
Paint the Floor
Snake on the Floor
Snake Up
Snake Down
Snap
Watch the video to see demonstrations of each of these ideas.
The Activity
Tell the children to watch your hands and to have their hands do what you are doing. (They will not have a wind wand, but you will be using one in order to demonstrate.) After you have demonstrated the pattern, ask the children to watch it again and tell you what your hand is doing (i.e. circle, circle, circle, circle, etc.). Note: for the older children it is helpful to write down simple symbols to help them remember the sequence such as a squiggle line with an arrow pointing to the left for Snake on the Floor Left, or a circle with x4 Left for Circle Left x4.
Ask the children if they would like a wind wand. Tell them there are 2 rules: 1. Move to a place in the room where their ribbons will not touch someone else. 2. If they use the wind wand inappropriately, I will take it. No questions asked. (Be sure you follow through with that in a kind way.)
Have four helpers help you pass out the wind wands. As they pass out the wind wands, begin practicing the pattern so that the children will be pulled straight into the activity. Once you have practiced the sequence once, repeat the sequence and begin to sing the song as you move to the pattern.
Benefits of this Activity
Great for crossing the midline and for practicing steady beat (See Chapter Ten). Good for logical, picture/spatial, and musical intelligences (See Chapter Five). Good for Whole to Part to Whole learning (See Chapter Nine). Great for active participation in the learning process (See Chapter One).