Music and movement is quite simply an integration of motor movements and music learning, learning to make music with and through the body. Movement with and through music is a part of basic human expression and can be traced back to early civilization (stomping, clapping, and vocalization). Music educators like Émile Jaques-Dalcroze and Zoltan Kodály developed curriculum and methods which integrated movements with music as a way of teaching and learning music in its earliest stages.
While our Music and Movement classes are taught by a variety of music instructors and are not set by a specific program such as Dalcroze or Kodály, the fundamental principles are still present. Students learn to use their body as a means of expression and integrate gross motor movement with music songs and games. Each musical activity works on some aspect of coordinated movement to go along with the music.
Music and movement is not age specific and can be easily adapted to work with teens or older adults. We find our most popular class is for 5-8 year olds who enjoy singing, dancing, and lots of movement with their music learning. The lesson plan below is an example of music and movement for students ages 5-8 with developmental disabilities. For students with motor challenges or who use mobility supports, adaptations can be made to the movements. Ideally, we start and end each class with a hello and goodbye song to bookend the music learning. Each activity focuses on a different type of movement integration so that it’s not all the same muscles being used, which can lead to fatigue. When possible, alternate rapid or excited movements with grounding ones and work some fine motor movements into the mix as well.
Stretching Song (from "Have Fun Teaching"): This soundtrack includes easy stretches called out in the music and backed with a fun techno beat. I like that it is an upbeat song, but uses slower movements.
We open each class with a hello and often incorporate student’s names into the song. It is a great way to help a group learn each other’s names.
I love Stephanie Leavell’s “Say Hello from Your Head to Your Toes” for a movement class because there are natural actions integrated into the song that help warm up the whole body. When you use the
backing track, it’s easy to adapt the movements to meet the movement abilities of your students. When I did a music and movement class with children using mobility aids, we changed the movements to things like “say hello on your tray” and the students would tap their wheelchair tray, or “say hello with your eyes” and they would open their eyes really wide. You can go around the room and have students demonstrate a movement and everyone else copies. The possibilities are endless!
When I was young, “Skinnamarink” was apparently my favourite song. It has been a “fan favourite” for several generations of children, and is still one of the most requested songs with a group of kindergartens that I work with. The actions are fun and easy and can be done from a seated or standing position. You can find plenty of remixed backing tracks online to add variety!
Here's the
backing track (labelled differently, but the song is the same) and
actionsSolfege is a great way to help students build their understanding of pitch. There are many ways to demonstrate pitch using body movements so that students can begin to associate a movement with pitch and hear and feel how the pitches rise on an ascending scale.
Many choral and voice teachers use the
Kodály/Curwen hand signs which also represent the changing shape of the mouth with the pitches.
We often use the “tapping method” which has solfege syllables assigned to different parts of the body. You tap the body part when you sing the syllable. “Do” is tapping on the knees, “Re” on your tummy, “Mi” on your chest, etc. Different movements associated with solfege can be found in many methods. A fixed do system that helps students develop a sense of pitch and rhythm simultaneously. You can watch a demonstration
here!
I introduce the pitches one at a time, and we build the scale in each class with a new movement and a song that focuses on that pitch. For example in class 3, we might sing “Hot Cross Buns” with the solfege movements and singing along with a
backing track.
When doing lower body movement, I try to focus on grounding movements that help students stay close to one spot, while using larger muscle groups. The
“Treasure Hunt” activity uses Bizet’s overture from Carmen, with accompanying movements. In this, we get on our motorcycles and go in search of buried treasure. This activity can be done standing or sitting, but I often have the students kneeling on the ground so that they are using their large muscles in their legs. This movement uses lots of energy and coordination to go up and down, and offers lower body movement that is more rooted and stable and less erratic than movements like running or jumping.
It is a great example of what is possible with instrumental programmatic music.
Sensory scarves are a great way to incorporate upper body movement beyond clapping and drumming. As a plus, they are festive and colourful expressive tools that do not make sound!
A favourite song to use
sensory scarves with is
“All the Fish” by Cris Ballew (aka Caspar Babypants). I have students mimic the movements of the animals in the water (fish are swimming, ducks are paddling, hippos are napping, etc.) and when the music turns to “bubble, bubble, bubble, pop”, students scrunch up their scarf into their hands and toss it on the word “pop.” I use the vocal track for this one, as I don’t know of a version that just has the backing track. This song is a favourite in my classes and students often request the “bubble pop song.”
After an exciting and more energizing song, I will slow the class down with some rhythm work and incorporate multiple percussion instruments. Percussion instruments are wonderful for music and movement classes because they require various forms of gross motor movement, and often require little skill to make a good sound.
A favourite rhythm song is a sharing song from Ghana called “Obwisana.” I have used this song with various percussion instruments and in a multitude of settings. It is two repetitive phrases that I teach in a call and response style before adding rhythm instruments to the mix. This is a great song for building passing and sharing skills.
After percussion, I will have students stand up for one more singalong song that uses full body movement. Stephanie Leavell’s
Move It, Move It album has a lot of full body movement songs.
"Move to the Beat” can be done standing or sitting and starts with large movements and gradually moves to small movements and a quiet dynamic. It’s great for warming up and winding down a class.
Barefoot Books - We All Go Travelling By
It is no secret how much we LOVE Barefoot Books. They are a lot of fun to sing along to and easy to add movements that fit the song. All of the Barefoot Book Singalong series come with CDs or Mp3s that include the song with lyrics, the instrumental backing track, and a lead sheet at the back of the book.
An easy one to add movements to is “
We All Go Travelling By” (Youtube version
here). Students can point to their eyes and ears each refrain, and come up with movements for each of the vehicles that go travelling by.
We bookend the class by singing and waving goodbye to our friends and classmates.
For added movement, I often teach this one with the added sign language for our non-verbal friends. The signing for this one is simple and it adds another layer of movement and inclusion.
You can find a demonstration
here.
This is just one example of a lesson plan for music and movement that integrates songs, storytelling, and a variety of musical styles and concepts. We would love to know how you integrate music and movement into your teaching - feel free to share below! You can find a video demonstration
here.
Happy Teaching!
