Juan Pirulero's Band
Each child plays a pretend instrument with the whole body while singing "Este es el juego de Juan Pirulero, que cada quien atienda su juego," watching for the moment Juan Pirulero copies their instrument. It builds attention, imitation and body expression through a traditional Mexican game.
How to play
- The teacher is Juan Pirulero and shows his move, rolling the hands around each other like winding thread, while singing the Spanish line ("This is Juan Pirulero's game, everyone mind your own game") (1 min).
- Each child picks an instrument (drum, trumpet, guitar, maracas, violin, cymbals) and plays it standing up, moving arms and body while we sing (1 min).
- Juan Pirulero starts playing one child's instrument; that child quickly switches to Juan Pirulero's thread-winding move. When the teacher goes back to winding, the child goes back to their instrument (2 min).
- Play while walking around like a marching band; Juan Pirulero copies two or three musicians at a time (1 min).
- The band stops, plays very softly and slower and slower, and finishes with a big bow to the audience (1 min).
Rules
- Everyone minds their own instrument and watches Juan Pirulero.
- If Juan Pirulero plays your instrument, you do his thread move.
- If we mix up, we laugh and keep playing.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, everyone plays the same instrument as the teacher and switches when the teacher does; practice Juan Pirulero's move together.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, each child picks an instrument and the teacher copies one child at a time.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, a child plays Juan Pirulero and everyone switches instruments when that child claps.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: instruments can be played with arms and head; a child who can't move their arms can "play" with head or shoulders.
- Hearing impairment: before copying an instrument, the teacher looks at and points to the child.
- Autism: let the child keep the same instrument every time and say their name when it's their turn to switch.
Learning goals
- Keep attention on someone else's actions.
- Imitate playing instruments with the body.
- Learn a traditional game from Mexico.
Teacher tip
In the traditional game whoever slips up hands over a forfeit; we drop that so nobody feels punished. Make the thread-winding move really big so kids can tell it apart from the instruments.
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