Two new movement songs

Two songs we added to our movement ribbon/song basket today:

SHAKE IT

Shake it, shake it, shake it

Shake it like it's hot!

Shake it, shake it, shake it

Give it all you've got!

(give different directions for shaking it)

-switch hands

-behind your back

-big circles

-tiny circles

LET'S GO FLY A KITE

Let's go fly a kite

UP to the highest height.

Let's go fly a kite

and send it soaring!

UP to the atmosphere

UP where the air is clear

Oh let's go fly a kite!

For this song, right before the word "up" we pause and lower the ribbon to the floor, then as we sing "up" we pop up and raise the ribbon high. During the rest of the song we wave the ribbon high in the air.

Toddlers and preschoolers enjoy both of these songs--preschoolers always love any song sang extra fast, so if I want to add a little bit of difficulty for my older ones, we just repeat the song, going faster and faster!

For infants, help them hold the ribbon stick and do the movements. Or you can do the movements and let them watch you!

From these songs children acquire important positional words (up, around, high, etc.). They use their large muscles, exercise their wrists, follow directions, move to the rhythm, and practice crossing the midline. All of these movement skills are actually so important for acquiring reading and math skills later on! And the songs are oh-so-fun!!