The Music Gets Sleepy, and So Do We

Children move to music that gets slower and quieter, and their bodies get sleepy with it until they're lying still. It works on going from fast to slow gradually and on relaxing.

How to play

1. Spread out and dance to cheerful music at normal speed (1 min).
2. The teacher slows the music a bit or plays a slower song: dance more slowly with long steps (1 min).
3. Even slower: move only arms and head, like seaweed in water (1 min).
4. The music is barely there: sit down slowly and sway your body (1 min).
5. Silence: lie down and stay still, noticing your heart is slowing down too (1 min).
6. Get up very slowly: first onto your side, then sitting, and last standing (1 min).

Rules

• My body goes as fast or slow as the music.
• When the music stops, I stay still.
• I get up slowly, no rush.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: does the whole thing seated with arms and trunk, reclining at the end if possible.
• Hearing impairment: the teacher adds hand movements that get slower and slower.
• Autism: warn that the music will stop at the end and let them choose where to lie down.

Learning goals

• Slow movement down gradually.
• Link the music's tempo to the body's.
• Calm down.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Music

Teacher tip

Prepare a playlist of three songs with slower and slower tempos so you don't have to search in the moment. Don't drop the tempo suddenly; changes should be smooth.

More activities like this

More cool-downs for Elementary