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Pass the Rhythm

by | Nov 29, 2022

28

Category

rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-30

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Competences
  • concentration
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • sence of rhythm

Pass the Rhythm

Team building exercise improving rhythm skills
and concentration.

AIM

The aim is to improve the rhythm skills and concentration of participants.
The game can be adapted for different levels.
The exercise develops the concentration of the participants especially among young people who have difficulty focusing.

Description

Sit in a circle, in chairs preferably.
(Can also be played standing or sitting, with different moves)

The Leader taps their foot to set the time (equal beat), and everyone follows, tapping their foot to keep the time.

The leader sets a very simple rhythm, in keeping with a 4/4 timing ie: Slap, Slap, Clap, …
1) Slap thigh with both hands, 2) Slap thigh with both hands, 3) Clap, 4) (nothing).

Everyone joins in with this rhythm

Once everyone is in time and the time is right, the leader passes a new rhythm:
Clap, Clap, Clap, …

** The leader can look to the right when passing, but it is the person on the right’s responsibility to check their left and take a rhythm when it is being passed **

The leader creates a new rhythm and passes it on;
Slap, Clap, Clap, Clap

The leader creates a new rhythm and passes it on;
Slap, Clap-Clap, Chest hit, Slap.

** The person to the right looks to the left, watches 1 or 2 rounds of the rhythm, then copies it **

** The tempo must be kept throughout **

 

Description

You can create more complex rhythms, sing different part of the body, different timings etc.

Participants can suggest rhythms, including rhythms from their own favourite music or culture. And the leader can change – switch who is leading suggesting different things to do & say. 

comments for facilitators

The exercise could be very useful to young people who have difficulty focusing.
You may need to stop and start again multiple times. This is ok! Bring the participants back to the rhythm every time, remind them to keep the rhythm.

Printable version

Rhythm Intro Circle

by | Nov 29, 2022

29

Category

vocal
rhythmic

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-30

Duration

approx. 10 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

1  2  3  4  5  6

Competences
  • concentration
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • sence of rhythm

Rhythm Intro Circle

Team building exercise improving rhythm skills
and concentration.

AIM

The aim is to improve the rhythm skills and concentration of participants, and also to get to know each other.
The game can be adapted for different levels.

Description

Sit in a circle, in chairs preferably.
(Can also be played standing or sitting, with different moves)

The Leader taps their foot to set the time, in 4/4 time, and everyone follows, tapping their foot to keep the time.

Round 1
The leader demos a rhythm/movement, and everyone copies
Slap (thigh), Slap (thigh), Hands up, Hands Up

Everyone Copies & joins in

Round 2
Next step – adding your name
“This time, instead of putting your hands up, you say your name! Everyone else, still put your hands up, until it’s your turn to say your name”.

The leader demos and passes it on:
Slap (thigh), Slap (thigh), “Your Name”

This is passed around the circle, until everyone has said their name

Round 3
Next step – your favourite food
“This time, instead of putting your hands up, you say your favourite food! Everyone else, still put your hands up, until it’s your turn to say your name”.

The leader demos and passes it on:
Slap (thigh), Slap (thigh), “Pizza!”

This is passed around the circle, until everyone has said their favourite food.

You can continue, adding in questions – favourite film, favourite musician, thing that scares you, food you hate, etc.

** Always keep the rhythm **
** The person to the right looks to the left, watches 1 or 2 rounds of the rhythm, then copies it **
** The tempo must be kept throughout **

Level up!

You can use more complex rhythms, using different part of the body, different timings etc..

You can replace the slaps etc with words that fit the Rhythm, ie:
I like Pi – zza
Cheese Bur-ger with Ba-con
etc…

Participants can suggest rhythms, including rhythms from their own favourite music or culture.
And the leader can change – switch who is leading suggesting different things to do & say.

comments for facilitators

This is anything from a short intro/icebreaker, to a full session creating a piece of music. This all depends on the group and the facilitators.

Printable version

Pantomim

by | Nov 29, 2022

37

Category

rhythmic
instrumental

Age

8+

Number of participants

3-10

Duration

approx. 20 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

12  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • music player / app to play the song
  • optional: any type of instrument
Competences
  • creativity
  • attention
  • collaboration
  • cooperation
  • social sensitivity

Pantomim

A game that inspires self-expression through music and the art of movement.

AIM

To help youth to learn how to express their feelings, how to improvise, how to enjoy music and forming this within a group that improves social skills and team work.

Description

The participants stand randomly in the room. The facilitator provides instructions.
Facilitator or a participant plays a known melody, one or more players (pantomimes) react to it with movements: they play a story or any creative art project, visual self expression.
One who was chosen claps at a point in time and in this moment the game switches: facilitator/participant plays on the movements and story of the pantomime.

Printable version

Morse

by | Nov 29, 2022

39

Category

rhythmic
instrumental

Age

12+

Number of participants

3-10

Duration

approx. 20 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

12  3  4  5  6

EQUIPMENT
AND INSTRUMENTS
  • optional: any type
    of instrument
Competences
  • improvisation
  • creativity
  • collaboration
  • attention
  • cooperation
  • concentration
  • sense of rhythm

Morse

Short game to recognize, repeat or improvise rhythm or melodies.

AIM

This game develops musical skills and focuses on rhythm while playing. Through the exercises the participants will be able to percept and follow the rhythm with improving focus and creativity.

Description

Participants sitting in a circle or in a row.
First participant in the row (or one chosen in the circle) taps a longer rhythm on the hand of the second participant sitting next to. After that this second participant taps this very same rhythm to the next participant and so on.
The last participant claps the received rhythm and then the first player claps the original rhythm.
The goal is to have minimal difference between the two rhythms.

Printable version

The Seeker

by | Nov 29, 2022

40

Category

rhythmic
instrumental

Age

8+

Number of participants

8-12

Duration

approx. 20 min.

Working method

group work

Musical abilities of the trainers

12  3  4  5  6

Equipment and instruments
  • recorder or any other musical instrument
Competences
  • creativity
  • improvisation
  • attention
  • collaboration
  • cooperation
  • social sensitivity

The Seeker

 A short game that playfully focuses on rhythm and music.
Rhythmic and instrumental version of „Hunt the object” vocal game (41).

AIM

This game develops musical skills and better recognition of tempo, rhythm, differences in sounds and dynamics. It helps them learn how to express their feelings, how to improvise, how to enjoy music and develop this within a group that develops social skills and teamwork.

Description

First the facilitator hides a small object from the participant.
When participant starts to search for the object, the facilitator or preferably the participants helps with a recorder (or other musical instrument) to find it:
• the higher the sound is on the recorder, the closer the seeker
got to the object
• the lower the sound is on the recorder, the more far the seeker
got to the object
• when reaching very closely to the subject, the highest sound to
be created quickly a few times

Level up!

The game can be expanded as follows: there is a new participant who helps the searcher, the „controller”. The controller joins the game with an instrument and helps the seeker in which direction to go with prearranged signals. For example: a loud sound means right, a quieter sound means left, repeating a sound means forward, a trill means going backwards, etc.
Since two instruments are playing at the same time, it is worth coordinating so that they sound harmoniously.

Printable version