NINE DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES INVOLVING MUSIC-Part 8

8.  Block Play Activities with Music allows children’s experiences to grow with many different concept ideas such as shape and size, discrimination, colors, space, number skills, balance, organization, and classification.  It also promotes cooperative play skills, problem solving and creativity.  It is a great way to introduce kids to hands on learning.  

I love “I spy” games.  I Spy a Block: Place a variety of blocks in the middle of the floor.  Encourage children’s observation skills by describing the blocks:  shape, color, or size.   Example: make-up a tune: “I spy a rectangle block.  Where is it?” “Do you a blue one? Where is it?”  

Block Shape Patterns: Provide blocks of different shapes or colors and create a pattern for children to repeat, such as red square, blue rectangle, red square, blue rectangle.   Make up a song or use “Where is Thump-kin” song:  “Where is the red square?  Can you find the red square?  There it is!  There it is!  Now you find the blue rectangle. Now you find the blue rectangle.  There it is.  There it is.”  Tell the child now to place the red square on the ground, then the blue rectangle and repeat it.  Have another child add to the pattern with a different shape.  

After the activity, remember children should learn to pick up the blocks and put them away.  It helps build and contribute to their organizational skills, independence, safety and self-help skills.  

Next week, Part 9!