The Woodpecker Knocks on the Tree
Children are woodpeckers flying through the forest, pecking at tree trunks by copying the drum's rhythms to find bugs. It builds a sense of rhythm and gets the body moving in a cheerful way.
How to play
- The teacher explains that a woodpecker lives in the forest and wakes up in its tree hole: we stretch and shake our wings (1 min).
- We fly around the forest flapping our arms, and when the drum gives a loud beat, we land standing next to a pretend tree trunk (1 min).
- We peck the trunk by tapping our thighs: tap, tap, tap, first slowly and then fast, just like the drum (1 min).
- The teacher plays short rhythms of two or three beats and the woodpeckers copy them, pecking on their knees, their tummy, or tapping their feet on the floor (2 min).
- We found the bug! We take a gentle celebration flight and go back to the nest to rest with deep breaths (1 min).
Rules
- We peck on our own body, never on friends.
- First we listen to the drum, then we peck.
- We fly without bumping into other birds.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, just peck slowly or fast without copying rhythms, with the teacher pecking in front of them.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, copy rhythms of two or three beats with one body part.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, use rhythms of up to four beats with pauses, and let a child be the lead woodpecker who makes up the rhythm.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: children in wheelchairs fly with their arms and peck on the armrest or their legs.
- Hearing impairment: the teacher plays the drum where everyone can see it and marks each beat with a big nod.
- Autism: give a heads-up before loud beats and let the child always peck on the same body part if they prefer.
Learning goals
- Copy simple rhythms with the body.
- Coordinate flying and stopping with a sound signal.
- Warm up the body at the start of the session.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Hand drum: 1
Teacher tip
Keep rhythms very short and play each one twice before they copy it. The usual mistake is non-stop pecking, so teach that the woodpecker waits quietly while the drum talks.
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