Why A Music and Movement Activity is Important
We have never met a child who doesn’t love to dance. Whether they are just learning to crawl, or walk, or are older, they all seem to have their personal dance moves when the music is playing. This is great because not only does music and movement help with the development of the muscles for important gross motor skills and physical fitness; music and movement can help create links for vocabulary and language skills.
Rae Pica describes this learning process in the article, Make a Little Music, “Music is vital to the development of Language and listening skills. Both music and language arts consist of symbols and ideas; when the two content areas are used in combination, abstract concepts become more concrete.
For example, the word slow had only so much meaning to a child when he reads or spells it. When he hears slow music, however, the meaning of the word expands. And when he moves as accompaniment to the music he’s hearing, he fully comprehends the word.” (http://www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200911/LeapsandBoundsWeb1109.pdf)
We see the benefits of music and movement activities everyday in our programs at Jellybean Park; and we take full advantage using songs, dances, and movement activities to enhance teaching of all of our subjects!
Our Under the Sea theme provides many opportunities for music and movement songs to do with the children. One of our favourites is “The Fish in the Ocean” which is sung to the tune of “the Wheels on the Bus”. This song was a fun way to get up and move, and also to create deeper connections to some of the Under the Sea vocabulary our young toddlers were learning in circles. Even though the children were some of our younger ones, they easily followed the familiar tune and picked up the actions. We also added some under the sea hats and stuffed animals to grab their attention and add more fun!
So grab your kids and move to the music!
The Fish in the Ocean
(Sung to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)
Start standing in a circle
The fish in the ocean go,
Gulp, gulp, gulp, (Action: Move hands back and forth on either side of face like fins)
Gulp, gulp, gulp,
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
The fish in the ocean go,
Gulp, gulp, gulp,
All day long!
The crab on the rock goes,
Pinch, pinch, pinch, (Action: Open and close hands like pinchers)
Pinch, pinch, pinch,
Pinch, pinch, pinch.
The crab on the rock goes,
Pinch, pinch, pinch,
All day long!
The sharks in the ocean go,
Chomp, chomp, chomp, (Action: With arms straight out in front of you, clap hands together like jaws)
Chomp, chomp, chomp,
Chomp, chomp, chomp.
The sharks in the ocean go,
Chomp, chomp, chomp,
All day long!
Octopus in the ocean,
Have eight arms, (Action: Wave arms up and down like tentacles)
Have eight arms,
Have eight arms.
Octopus in the ocean
Have eight arms,
Waving all day long!
Dolphins in the ocean go,
Leap, leap, leap, (Action: Jump or Leap!)
Leap, leap, leap,
Leap, leap, leap.
Dolphins in the ocean go,
Leap, leap, leap,
All day long!
Jellyfish in the ocean go,
Wobble, wobble, wobble, (Action: Wiggle your body side to side)
Wobble, wobble, wobble,
Wobble, wobble, wobble.
Jellyfish in the ocean go.
Wobble, wobble, wobble,
All day long!
Waves in the ocean go,
Up and down, (Action: Hold hands and go into the middle of the circle and out again)
Up and down,
Up and down.
Waves in the ocean go,
Up and down,
All day long!
The waves in the ocean go
Up and down,
Up and down all day!
To Learn More
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