#3.

4 – Music and Movement Play

Here are some big ideas about toddlers and their toys that you can help them explore:

 I like to play with things that make lots of noise.

 I like to play rhythm instruments.

Big Ideas
 I enjoy listening to and moving to music.

Featured Books
Pots and Pans by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Diane deGroat (BB)

Note: Since there is only one featured book for this week, consider reading some of the
children’s favorite books. The books can be from previous Focus Areas and weeks as well as
other books from your library that toddlers enjoy.

Materials to Key: (BB) – Available in Board Book only

(+BB) – Also available in Board Book
Collect and
Make Books to Make
Playing with Toys is Fun (From #3.3 – Motor Skills and Play or See Attachment:
Playing with Toys is Fun)

Additional Materials
• Purchased rhythm instruments (maracas, tambourines, bells, castanets)
• Drum
• Egg shakers
• Bell bracelets
• Sound bottles
• “No sound” bottles

Note: When purchasing rhythm instruments, refer to the infant and toddler section of school
supply catalogs for instruments designed specifically for toddlers.

*Pots and Pans by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Diane deGroat

Book List

*Featured
Books

Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 1
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 Note: Review the section in Curriculum Tips and Techniques on Reading Books with
Children, for suggestions on how to use books with children.

Benchmarks: 4.5.C Shows enjoyment of books and stories

Book: Pots and Pans by Patricia Hubbell, illustrated by Diane deGroat (YT & OT)

Reading First Reading of Pots and Pans

Books with • Collect kitchen items that make a good sound such as one or two pots, a couple of pot
Toddlers lids, pie tins, wooden spoons, and wooden spatula.
• Place the items in a box and keep it out of sight until after you have read the story to
the children.
• Invite two or three children to the book area to read a story about making lots of noise.
• Show the cover and say the title.
• Invite older toddlers to tell you about their experiences with pots and pans and noise.
• Read the book with children.
• Bring out the box and say, “I wonder what is in this box. Do you think it might be pots
and pans and things that make noise?”
• Take the kitchen items out of the box, sit them on the floor and allow children to explore
and experiment with them.

Note: Allow all children an opportunity to hear the story and play with the kitchen items.
____________________________________________________________________________

Second Reading of Pots and Pans

• Take the kitchen items in the box to the library area, keeping the box out of sight until
you have read the story with the children.
• Invite two or three children to the book area to read the story with you.
• Read the book with children.
• Bring out the box and allow children to explore and experiment with the kitchen items
for a few minutes.
• Say to children, “We are going to do a loud and soft game with the pots and pans and
spoons. What should you do when I say, “Make a soft sound.”? That’s right, you make
a real soft sound. What should you do when I say, “Make a loud sound.”? That’s right,
you make a loud sound.”
• Play the game with the children. Do they understand when to make a soft and a loud
sound?

Additional Benchmark: 4.3.C Responds to verbal and non-verbal communication

Note: Demonstrate soft and loud sounds with the kitchen items if necessary.
____________________________________________________________________________

Third Reading of Pots and Pans

• Show the cover and say the title.
• Read the story with the children.
• Follow up by showing each page and inviting children to find the cat and puppy on the
page.

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#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 Book: Playing with Toys is Fun (YT & OT)

First Reading of Playing with Toys is Fun

• Go to the library area and say to the children, “I have a book about our favorite toys.”
• Show the cover of the book to the children who join you and say the title.
• Invite children to name the toys on the cover.
• Read the book with children, allowing them to point to and talk about what they see on
each page.
__________________________________________________________________________
Second Reading of Playing with Toys is Fun (OT)
• Display the toys featured in the book in obvious places in the room so they can easily
be seen by the children. Have them in the area where they would normally be found.
For example, the doll can be found in the pretend play area.
• Go to the library area and say to the children, “I’m going to read a book about our
favorite toys.”
• Show the cover and read the title.
• Read the book with the children.
• Follow up by showing each page and inviting a child to locate the toy featured on that
page and bring it to the group. Acknowledge children who are successful and assist a
child who needs help locating the toy. For example, say, “Jessica, you found the doll
that was sleeping in the doll bed.” “Felix, remember that we used the blocks to build a
fence for the animals this morning.”

Benchmark: 4.4.C Communicates through language

Ring, Ring, Ring Those Bells

(Sing to tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
(You and children make appropriate motions with bells)

Ring, ring, ring those bells.

Ring them loud and clear.
Language Ring them high
and And ring them low.
Music time is here.
Cognitive ____________________________________________________________________________
Materials Shaker, Shaker
and (Sing to tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”)
Experiences (You and children standing. Make appropriate motions with shakers)

Shakers up and shakers down.

Shakers, shakers all around.
Shakers up and shakers down.
Shakers, shakers turn around.
Shakers up and shakers down.
Shakers, shakers, let’s sit down.
____________________________________________________________________________
Where are Your Bells?
(Sing to tune of “Where Is Thumbkin?)
(You and children have bells)

Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 3
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 Where are your bells? Where are your bells? (bells behind back)
Here they are! Here they are! (bring bells from behind back)
Play them together, play them together.
Ring, ring, ring. Ring, ring, ring. (all ring bells)

Extensions:
• Substitute shakers for bells and sing as follows:

Where are your shakers? Where are your shakers? (shakers behind back)
Here they are! Here they are! (bring shakers from behind back)
Play them together, play them together.
Shake, shake, shake. Shake, shake, shake. (all shake shakers)

• Use other rhythm instruments when there are enough for each child to have one.
____________________________________________________________________________
Who Plays the Bells? (OT)
(Sing to tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
(Each child with bell bracelets)

Who plays the bells?

Who plays the bells?
Hi ho the dairy oh,
Who plays the bells?

Michael plays the bells.

Michael plays the bells.
Hi ho the dairy oh,
Michael plays the bells.

Note: Allow each child in the group who wants a turn to play the bells. Substitute each child’s
name in the song. Conclude with the following verse:

We all play the bells.

We all play the bells.
Hi ho the dairy oh.
We all play the bells.
____________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 1.3.C Demonstrates increasing sense of competence and confidence in
growing abilities
6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: Who Has This Toy? (OT)

Materials: Playing with Toys Is Fun book, doll, stuffed animal, ball, small vehicle, block,
rhythm instrument, bag for the toys

How to begin:
• Place the toys in a bag and keep out of sight of children until after you have read the
book to them.
• Go to the library and say to children, “After we have read our story, I have a surprise for
you.”
• Read the story with the children.
• Bring out the bag and remind children that you said there would we a surprise for them.
“The surprise is in this bag. Can you guess what it is?” Pause for answers. “We’ve
been reading about toys, Do you think there might be toys in this bag?”
Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 4
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 • Invite each child to reach into the bag, pull out a toy and say what it is.
• Place the book on the floor, open it to the first page and read the text.
• Ask, “Who has a doll to play with? Yes, Marshall, you have the doll.”
• Follow this procedure for each page of the book.

Extension:
• Repeat the activity, allowing children to select another toy from the bag.
• Change the items in the bag. For example, include a different doll, stuffed animal, or
rhythm instrument.

Note: Have enough toys for each child in the group. This may mean having duplicates of
some toys or different types of blocks or rhythm instruments, for example.

Note: Allowing children to reach into the bag for a toy without seeing it may eliminate conflicts
over which toy a child wants.

Note: Select items such as rhythm instruments that are similar to those in the book.
___________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 1.1.C Feels valued and attached to others
4.4.C Communicates through language

Planned Experience: Play Your Instruments (OT)

Materials: different instruments such as maracas, tambourines, castanets, bells, shakers

How to begin:
• Collect instruments, place them in a bag and take them to an area with enough space
for you and the children to play instruments.
• Invite each child to reach inside the bag for an instrument.
• Allow children time to explore and experiment with the instruments.
• Label each instrument and invite each child with that instrument to say the name with
you. Then say, “Reggie and Jordan, you have a tambourine. Play the tambourines for
us.”
• Sing the following song (sing to tune of “Farmer in the Dell”) and invite children with the
instrument named in the song to play their instrument:

Reggie and Jordan play tambourines.

Reggie and Jordan play tambourines.
Hi ho the dairy oh,
Reggie and Jordan play tambourines.

• Substitute children’s names and their instruments in additional verses.

• Sing the concluding verse as follows:

We all play together.

We all play together.
Hi ho the dairy oh,
We all play together.
___________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships
6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: Sound and “No Sound” Bottles (OT)

Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 5
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 Materials: 4 clear plastic water or drink bottles, feathers, cotton balls, buttons, jingle bells,

superglue and strong tape.

How to begin:
• Make sound bottles by placing buttons in one of the clear plastic bottles and jingle bells
in the other.
• Make “no sound” bottles by placing a few feathers in one of the clear plastic bottles and
cotton balls in the other.
• Superglue the caps on each bottle securely and cover with strong clear tape.
• Place the bottles with feathers and cotton balls and two of the sound bottles on a low
shelf or table.
• Observe children as they interact with the bottles. Do they shake them? Do they seem
to notice that no sound comes from the bottles with feathers and cotton balls?
• Join children as they play with the bottles. Invite a child to shake one of the bottles and
ask, “Pedro, do the buttons make a sound? Can you hear the buttons when you shake
them?” Repeat this with all of the bottles. Can the children correctly identify the items
that make sounds and those that don’t?
• State that “We have two bottles that make sounds and two that don’t”.

Extension:
• Store the sound bottles and the “no-sound” bottles on storage shelf where toddlers can
see and reach them.

Note: Make sure caps are securely glued on the bottles. Make a daily check of the bottles to
make sure caps remain secured.
____________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships
6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: Egg Shakers (YT & OT)

Materials: large plastic eggs (usually in stores at Easter), salt, beans, paper clips, rice,
buttons, small bells, superglue, clear tape

How to begin:
• Place some of the items listed above in the eggs; one type item per egg.
• Superglue the two halves of the eggs together and cover the closing with strong clear
tape.
• Store the eggs in a plastic container or basket.
• Place the container on a low storage shelf or on a table and allow children to discover
it.
• Observe children as they explore the eggs. Do they shake them? Do they hold them
to their ear? Do they try to open them?
• Join the children as they play with the eggs. Pick up an egg and, hold it to your ear as
you shake it and say, “I wonder what is in this egg.”
• Store the container on an open shelf so children can play with the eggs independently.

Extension: Match the Eggs (OT)

• Consider making identical pairs of eggs, using the same color of eggs and the same
number or amount of items for each pair.
• Invite an older toddler to help you find the two eggs that are alike.
Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 6
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 • Begin by selecting an egg and saying, “Deandra, can you find a yellow egg like this
one? That’s right. Now, shake the two yellow eggs. Do they sound alike?”
• Encourage child to match the other eggs by color and to shake them to determine if
they sound alike.

Additional Benchmark: 6.2.C Applies knowledge to new situations

Note: Check the eggs each day to make sure they are securely sealed.

Benchmark: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships

Planned Experience: Loud and Soft Sounds (OT)

Materials: drum, two cymbals or two pan lids

How to begin:
• Place the drum, cymbals or pan lids on the floor in an area large enough so that three
or four children can sit with you.
• Explain to children who join you that you are going to make a sound with each
instrument and they are to tell you if the sound is soft or loud.
• Tap the drum head softly with your hand. Ask children, “Was that a soft or loud sound?
Yes, that was a soft sound. Now listen to this one? Is it soft or loud?”
• Clang the cymbals or pan lids together and ask children, “Was that a soft or a loud
sound? That’s right. It was a loud sound.”
• Allow children turns to tap the drum with their hands and clang the cymbals together.
• Continue to involve them in saying if sound is loud or soft.

Extension:
• Add other items such as bells, shakers and sound bottles and involve children in
determining if the sound is soft or loud, or in the middle.
____________________________________________________________________________
Benchmarks: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships
6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: What Made That Sound? (OT)

Materials: 3 or 4 different rhythm instruments, a visual barrier such as a felt board or

box large enough to hide the instruments behind

How to begin:
• Take the instruments to an area where you and the children can sit on the floor.
• Begin to play one of the instruments.
• Allow children who join you to explore and experiment with the instruments.
• Demonstrate the sound that each of them makes and name the instrument.
• Hide all of the instruments behind the barrier.
• Make a sound with one of the instruments.
• Remove the barrier and invite a child to guess which instrument made the sound by
pointing to it.
• Invite the child to make the sound with the instrument and decide if it is the same. If
child chooses the correct instrument, make a comment such as, “Yes, Dawn, that’s the
one. You heard the maraca.”
Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 7
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 • Allow each child a turn.

Extensions:
• Use only two instruments with distinctively different sounds if children are having
trouble distinguishing between the sounds of four different instruments. Increase the
number of instruments as children become more able to associate the sound with the
instrument that makes it.
• Vary this experience by using different objects to make the sounds.
• Allow younger toddlers to simply make noise with the instruments rather than trying to
identify sounds made with a hidden instrument.

Note: When you invite a child to join you in an activity, make sure the child is not actively
engaged in something of interest.
Benchmarks: 1.4.C Asserts independence
3.3.C Demonstrates caring and cooperation

Planned Experience: A Band of Friends (YT & OT)

Materials: bell bracelets (see page 10) and egg shakers (see page 6), basket or box for
each set of instruments

Self, Social How to begin:

and • Select CDs or tapes of music from different cultures such as Irish, African, Native
Emotional American, reggae. Choose music with a definite beat.
Experiences • Allow each child in the group to choose one of the instruments.
• Explain to children that “We are a band of friends. Friends can make music together.”
• Begin to play a lively tune and invite children to play their instruments and dance to the
music.
• Choose an instrument and participate in the experience with the children.

Extensions:
• Allow children to switch instruments.
• Play different types of music and observe to see if children begin to match the sounds
they make with their instruments to the beat of the music.
• Include this experience several times a week.
• Include purchased instruments such as castanets, maracas, and tambourines

Note: Have enough egg shakers and bell bracelets for each child so that all children have
choices.

Benchmarks: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships

6.2.C Applies knowledge to new situations
6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: Sound Bottles (YT & OT)

Materials: Clear plastic water or drink bottles, objects such as buttons, jingle bells and paper
Sensory clips that make noise, superglue, strong tape
and Art
How to begin:
Materials • Place sound-making objects inside individual bottles: buttons, jingle bells, and paper
and clips for example.
Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 8
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
Experiences • Superglue the caps on securely and cover with strong clear tape.
• Place the bottles on a low shelf or on a table.
• Observe toddlers as they interact with the bottles. Do they shake them? Do they seem
to have a favorite? Do they look at and listen to the objects inside the bottle? Do they
apply the same strategy for manipulating one bottle and then another?
• Join children as they interact with the bottles. Pick up one of the bottles, shake it and
say, “I hear paper clips in this bottle. Renetta, can you tell me what you hear in this
bottle?” (as you hand her the bottle with buttons in it). “Which bottle do you like to
listen to the best?”

Extensions:
• See page 4 for a song that you can sing as you and the children shake the bottles
together.
• Store the bottles in a clear plastic tub and place on storage shelf where toddlers can
see and reach them.
• Make additional sound bottles and rotate them to maintain toddler’s interest.

Safety Note: Make sure caps are securely glued on the bottles. Make a daily check of the
bottles to make sure caps remain secured.
___________________________________________________________________________

Benchmarks: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships

6.3.C Develops strategies for solving problems

Planned Experience: Find the Ticking Clock (OT)

Materials: A loudly ticking clock

How to begin:
• Hide a ticking clock when the children are not looking.
• Ask toddlers to be very quiet and listen. Ask, “What do you hear?” Pause and allow
children to listen and say what they hear. If they do not respond, say, “I hear a ticking
clock. Can you use your ears to help me find the clock?”
• Invite children to tell you how they found the clock.

Extension:
• Substitute a wind-up music box for the ticking clock.

Benchmark: 6.1.C Gains an understanding of basic concepts and relationships

Planned Experience: Shake, Shake, Shake that Bottle (YT & OT)

Materials: Sound Bottles (See page 8 Sound Bottles)

How to begin:
Movement, • Place two or three of the bottles on a shelf where children can easily see and select
Music and them.
• Observe as a child experiments with the bottle.
Gross
• Join the child, select a bottle, and begin to sing the following song to the tune of “Row,
Motor
Row, Row Your Boat.” Suit actions to the words.
Experiences
Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 9
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 Shake, shake shake that bottle,
Shake it if you can.
We can shake it, then we’ll stop.
Then we’ll start again.

Shake, shake shake that bottle

Shake it if you can.
Shake it loud, then shake it soft.
Then we’ll start again.

Benchmarks: 4.3.C Responds to verbal and non-verbal communication

5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: The Freeze (OT)

Materials: drum

How to begin:
• Provide sufficient space for 4 or 5 children to move about without touching each other.
• Explain to children that as you play the drum they are to march around the room.
Remind them to not bump into each other. When you stop playing the drum, you will
say “freeze” and they are to stop marching and stand still. When you start playing the
drum again, they are to begin marching.
• Begin to play the drum and march with the children.
• Play this game with children as long as they remain interested.

Extension:
• Play this game outdoors. Consider introducing the game just before time to go indoors.
• Allow the children to “freeze” a couple of times, then beat the drum and lead them
indoors.
• Play this game from time to time with the children.

Extension:
• Prepare to play a dance tune on the CD player or tape player.
• Clear a space for dancing.
• Explain to children that “We’re going to dance to music. When there is no music, stop
dancing.”

Note: It may take children a few seconds to “freeze.” Since they are learning to keep their
balance, limit the freeze to no more than 10 seconds.

Note: Consider having two adults present when using a CD or tape to play freeze. This will
allow one person to control the music and the other to be involved with the children to insure
safety and minimize conflicts.
____________________________________________________________________________

Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 10
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 Benchmarks: 1.4.C Asserts independence
5.1.C Develops gross motor skills

Planned Experience: Dancing with Bells (YT & OT)

Materials: bells, elastic (1/2 to 1 inch wide), needle, nylon thread, CD or tape of dance music,
CD or tape player

How to begin:
• Make a bell bracelet for each child as follows:
o Cut elastic into lengths to fit around toddler’s arms, plus 1 inch.
o Sew three or four bells to each length of elastic. Make sure the bells are
securely sewn to the elastic.
o Bring ends of elastic together, overlap and sew them together.
o Make a bell bracelet for the adults in the group.
• Store the bells in a basket or tub.
• Take the basket of bells to an area where there is space for you and the children to sit
on the floor together.
• Put your bell bracelet on your arm and begin to sing the following song:

Ring, Ring, Ring Those Bells

(Sing to tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”)

Ring, ring, ring those bells.

Ring them loud and clear.
Ring them high
And ring them low.
Music time is here.

• Pass around the basket and invite children to select a bell bracelet. Some may choose
to put it on their arm and others may choose to hold it in their hand.
• Encourage children to experiment with the bells.
• Explain to children that they can ring their bells and move to the beat of the music.
• Play a song that encourages movement.
• Join the children in moving to the music.
• Turn down the volume of the music so that the bell sounds can be heard.
• Pass around the basket and ask children to put their bell bracelet in the basket.

Note: Make sure the bells are securely attached to the elastic.

Make a Soft or a Loud Sound

• Have a pie pan and a wooden spoon.
• Demonstrate making a soft sound by gently tapping the pie pan with the wooden spoon
and making a loud sound by hitting the pie pan with the spoon.
• Invite each child to make either a soft or a loud sound with the pie pan and spoon and
transition to the next activity.
____________________________________________________________________________
Transition
Times A Helper I Will Be (Sing to tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
• Begin to sing the following song when it is time to put away the toys children are
playing with and transition to another activity:

Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 11
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play
 A helper I will be,
A helper I will be.
I’ll pick up the toys and put them away.
A helper I will be.

Note: Consider including a specific toy and inserting that into the song. For example, sing “I’ll
pick up the cars/blocks/dolls and put them away.”

• Send home to each family the booklet, Picture This: A Framework for Quality Care for
Infants and Toddlers. Suggest that they look at the section entitled Toys and Materials
for Infants and Toddlers. Pages 14 and 15. These two pages provide toy safety
information and a list of recommended toys for toddlers.
 Copy the two pages and send home to families if you are unable to get enough
copies of the booklet for each family.
Family  Locate the booklet on the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education
website www.arkansas.gov/childcare. Print pages 14 and 15 to make
Experiences copies to send home.
 Suggest that families use the list as a guide when purchasing toys for their
toddlers.

• Send home the following Activity sheet from Infant and Toddler Family Connection:

 Activity Sheet #35 – “Sorting Toys By Color” (See Attachment: “Sorting Toys
By Color”)

• Include a Family Response Sheet for the activity. (See Attachment: Family Response
Sheet)

Adventures for Toddlers – Focus Area #3 – My Favorite Things for Play and Learning 12
#3.4 – Music and Movement Play