The rhythm will ‘teach’ you!!
Clap, tap, dance, write the beat. Alone, together, with feet & hands. One hand, 2 handed, instruments and objects of all kinds. Beat is fundamental to a number of physical and cognitive skills.
2 hands and an instrument for each hand.
When a child is still a baby they play with their hands. Then start to coordinate them together. They do the same with their feet.
At about the same time (Level 1 in Kindermusik) a child begins to walk they are also driven to hold an instrument in each hand. This developmental focus on hand and foot coordination is the perfect time to start working on 2 handed/footed coordination With Beat.
As a child grows their 2 handed coordination becomes more complex. This week (Level 2) we focused on several games and songs that work on exercising and developing these skills to a beat. These skills are important for art, music, sports, and school.
With the older Kindermusik groups we explore a more advanced use of both hands. First group (Level 3) focusing on feeling different beat groups then using hands/feet differently . With our oldest group (Young Child Level 4&5) we begin to transition to more complex use of hands and feet to the music. We explore different uses for different hands & feet (think patting head, rubbing tummy, matching feet). And we begin to learn the notes and rhythms of instruments from different instrument ’families’ .... percussion, keyboard, string, wind.
