Twelve Chiming Jumps for New Year
Children say goodbye to the old year by jumping with each of twelve chimes on the hand drum, sometimes slow and sometimes fast, eating a pretend grape with every jump. It works matching movement to a beat and introduces the New Year’s grape tradition from Spain and Mexico.
How to play
- Explain that in many homes in Spain and Mexico, people eat twelve grapes to twelve clock chimes at midnight on New Year’s Eve; spread out around the space (1 min).
- Walk around and do a little hop on each drum beat; count together up to twelve (1 min).
- Slow chimes mean big jumps; fast chimes mean quick little hops (1 min).
- Before the chimes, the clock goes “ding-dong, ding-dong”: shake your hands up and down really fast without moving your feet (1 min).
- Midnight for real: on each chime, jump and eat a pretend grape; at twelve shout “Happy New Year!” and gently high-five whoever is close (1 min).
- Repeat in a circle all together, counting the chimes out loud (1 min).
Rules
- We jump only when the drum sounds.
- No sound means we stay still.
- Gentle high-fives, no hard slaps.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, jump with the drum without counting, using only five or six chimes.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, count to twelve and mix slow and fast.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, the teacher adds surprise pauses and children do a half turn on every jump.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: mark each chime with a clap or by raising arms from the chair.
- Hearing loss: the teacher hits the drum high and in view, and a buddy marks each beat with a hand.
- Autism: keep the drum soft and warn before the fast chimes begin.
Learning goals
- Match jumps to an instrument’s beat.
- Start and stop on a sound cue.
- Learn about a New Year’s custom.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Hand drum: 1
Teacher tip
Counting to twelve while jumping is too much for 3-year-olds: you count aloud and they jump. It’s a great fit for the last day before winter break.
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