Matarile: What Job Will We Give?
Two lines facing each other step forward and back singing the traditional call-and-response "Amo a to, matarile, rile, ro," choose a classmate and give them a job that the whole group acts out. It works on rhythmic movement and acting out everyday jobs with the body.
How to play
- Two lines holding hands face each other about five steps apart. The teacher teaches the refrain "matarile, rile, ro" and the step: four steps forward, four back (2 min).
- Line A steps forward and back singing "Amo a to, matarile, rile, ro"; line B answers the same way, "What would you like?". A: "I'd like a page." B: "Choose one." A: "I choose (name)" (4 min).
- B asks, "What job will we give?" and A suggests one: baker, firefighter, corn farmer, fisher, bricklayer, carpenter (2 min).
- If B likes it ("That job is good!"), both lines act out the job together for a few seconds: kneading dough, spraying the hose, planting seeds, throwing a net… and the chosen child crosses to line A while everyone sings "Let's all celebrate, matarile, rile, ro" (5 min).
- Switch, and now line B does the asking. Finish in one big line acting out the group's favorite job (2 min).
Rules
- Lines step forward and back without letting go and without bumping the other line.
- Everyone acts out the job, not just the chosen child.
- If a job isn't liked, we say "No, thanks" and suggest another.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, the teacher sings most of the dialogue and kids just sing "matarile, rile, ro" while stepping forward and back.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, the full dialogue with familiar jobs suggested by the teacher.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, kids suggest new jobs, and the other line has to guess the job from the miming before saying whether they like it.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a child in a wheelchair can be at the end of a line with a friend pushing, or call out names from the middle.
- Hearing impairment: use picture cards of the jobs so the child can see which one was chosen.
- Autism: keep the dialogue in the same order every time and let the child pick a job from a card.
Learning goals
- Step forward and back to the beat of a song.
- Act out jobs with the body.
- Learn a traditional Mexican singing game.
Teacher tip
"Amo a to" comes from an old phrase whose meaning has been lost over time, so there's no need to explain it. Lines tend to charge forward, so mark four steps and stop on the last "ro."
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