First, everyone will need a buddy. “Elbow partners” where children stick
out their elbow and the person’s elbow they touch is a quick way to do
this. You could also quickly number
your students 1-12 and then 1-12 (depending on the number in your class). Ones get together, twos, threes, and so
forth.
Patty Cake - Have children play hand
clap games, such as “Miss Mary Mack” or “Say, Say My Playmate.” (You can find lots of these online.)
Children face a partner and clap their hands together. Next, clap right hand to
partner’s right hand. Clap
hands together and then clap left hand to partner’s left hand. Continue the pattern.
He learned to
tie his shoe.
*Patty cake and count to 10, 20, 50, 100 or
more!
*Skip count by 2’s, 5’s, 10’s etc. as you
patty cake.
*Patty cake spelling words or word wall
words
*Say nursery rhymes or other poems as you
patty cake with a partner.
*Say ABC’s saying letter and making then
making the sound.
Ride that Pony (“Is Everybody
Happy?” CD)
Ride, ride, ride
that pony, (Face
partner and begin clapping
Get up and ride
that big, black pony. to
the beat. Bounce up and down
Ride, ride, ride
that pony. as
if riding on a pony.)
This is what they
told me.
Front, front,
front, my baby. (Clap
hands up in the air with partner.)
Side, to side, to
side, my baby. (Gently
bump hips on the side.)
Back, back, back,
my baby, (Turn
around and bump back sides.)
This is what they
told me. (Find
a new partner.)
Spider Challenge – Children sing the
“Itsy Bitsy Spider” as they make the motions on a partner’s back. Next, have children stand next to their
partner and extend their inside arms around their partner’s waist. Each child will use her outside arm to
sing the song and cooperate with their partner.
Back to Back
– Children touch backs with a partner.
The children continue to touch various body parts as the teacher calls
them out. End with, “Bottoms to
chairs.”
Head, Shoulders
– Slowly sing the song as children face their partner and gently touch their
partner’s body parts. (You might
need to demonstrate the meaning of “gently”!)
*Just for fun have
partners put their backs to each other and touch body parts.