Review any song with these fun “Family Band” members! They are easy to implement into your singing time lesson plan!
Since this month’s theme is all about the family and we pretty much KNOW Families Can Be Together Forever by heart, I thought it would be fun to have the kids become more familiar with the other songs in the Children’s Songbook that are all about families but that we RARELY sing! That said, this review activity would work with any song(s).
The illustrations are from Susan Fitch HERE. This idea comes from A Children’s Songbook Companion (find details on that book HERE):
Download my Family Band images using the access button at the bottom of this post. I printed (enough for each child to have one) on card stock, cut out and laminated for durability (optional). To cut out the hole for the pencil, I simply used a single hole punch – it fits perfectly!
Place an unsharpened pencil through the hole {I finally have a use for all those pencils my kids bring home from school!!}.
Pass out a pencil to each child. We will be able to do multiple activities and patterns with the pencils as we sing/listen to the songs:
- Tap the beat of the song on the back of the chair in front them (for children in the front row, place a chair in front of them to tap on).
- Tap the rhythm of the song on the back of the chair in front of them.
- Pitch lead (as the music go up or down, so does the pencil).
- Teach the children to lead 4/4, 3/4 and 2/4 depending on the song.
- Create physical movement for the children to make on rests or on certain phrases in the song.
- Raise pencils when a word from the song talks about a member of the family (mom, dad, sister, brother, etc.)
Like I always do with songs that are unfamiliar to the kids, I always post the words. Find details HERE.
Then I also like to bring in the songs on CD and play them on the CD player (your phone with a speaker would work well too). This way I’m not singing a solo and we all have reinforcement from the recordings.
These printables are filed on my Resource Library page under Category Title > Family Band.
2 thoughts on “Family Band”
Hi Camille, this is such a cute idea!! 🙂 I was just wondering if you pass out all of these to the kids and let them take them home or if you gather them again at the end? Also, do they do all the tapping, leading, etc with the pencils attached to the people? I'm guessing yes, but maybe I'm wrong. Thanks!!
Hi Amy!
I’m planning on just Keeper by the pencils afterward for another time. If I give them to the kids I’m sure they’ll just end up in the garbage.
And yes, the people are always attached to the pencils during the activity.
I hope that helps!
~Camille