Kids Fun Learning Activities
Key Elements of Teaching a Song
Teaching Easy English Songs
Hello Around the World
Fitness for Children
Merry Christmas Around the World
“Singing is the la la la that lives in my mouth” (anonymous)
Singing is truly one of childhood’s most rewarding experiences.
Here’s why:-
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Singing builds language skills
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Singing builds reading skills
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Singing and learning new songs builds self esteem
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Singing with actions helps to develop motor skills
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Singing skills require discipline and concentration
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Repetition of songs helps to build memory skills
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Singing helps build social skills
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Musical concepts such as volume; tempo; beat and rhythm; pitch and melody; harmony and mood; and tone can be learnt
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Singing together helps to develop relationships (songs can be soothing, humorous, interactive)
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Singing is emotionally fulfilling
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Singing releases happy endorphins
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Singing is FUN no matter what your age!
Singing
Singing in tune
In most cases this can be learnt through:
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Regular practice
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Correct posture
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Concentrated listening
Only 1 in 10,000 people are tone deaf!
Teaching a song
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Like the song!
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Know the song well
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Sing or play the whole song through first
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Use eye contact for feedback
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Set the tempo (speed of the song) by e.g. counting in one bar of the song before starting singing or by playing an introduction first.
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Vary each repetition of the song e.g. sing it softly, loudly, quickly, slowly, add instruments, clap beat or rhythm, add simple actions or movement.
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To initiate interest in a new song you can use pictures, puppets, magnetic board, illustrated song book or a big communal book, objects of interest, recorded music.
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Be enthusiastic!
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Enjoy yourself and have fun - it’s infectious.
Linda’s motto:
“You do not need to be a musical expert to share singing and dancing with
children. ENTHUSIASM is the key - hang loose and enjoy the experience -
children will respond whole-heartedly!”
Methods
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Repeated phrase – some songs have each line or phrase repeated in their structure. The teacher can sing the first phrase and the children can repeat it. e.g. Three blind mice.
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Line by line – the teacher can sing the first line, then the children can echo the first line and so on throughout the song.
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Whole song – with a single or repetitive song, teacher sings song through, then sings it through again with the children joining in.
Through singing both our left and right side of our brain is activated.
A song never leaves our long term memory!
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The English Language
Hello - Teaching Units
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It has a total of 550,000 words
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But 2,000 words make up 90% of most speech
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400 words make up 65% of most writing
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The alphabet has 26 letters and only 44 sounds
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50% of the words are phonetic e.g. bat 50% are not phonetic e.g. once
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There are only 70 main spelling combinations
Teach Kids English Through Singing Songs
Easy English song teaching lesson plan
Hello
Learning Outcomes
Children will:
- Learn the English words and meaning associated with the song
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Focus On
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Skills
English greetings
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Elements
Good morning
Good afternoon
Good evening
Hi
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Preparation
- Teacher should be familiar with the song and the actions
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Keywords
Hello, nice day, run, play, talk, dance, sing, jump, swing, laugh, poke a face, friends, place
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Teaching/Learning Sequence
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Warm Up
Singing Name Game
- Children sit in a circle
- Each child has a turn to sing his/her name to a tune of their choice e.g. My name is Tessa
- All the other children echo by singing back
Your name is Tessa
New Song
- Listen to the Hello song
- Children join in with the ‘echo’ part
- Children join in with the actions
- Children face a partner and sing and dance the actions
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Questions/Assessment
In the song what activities do the children like to do together?
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Ask children
- Do you have a friend?
- What is your friend’s name?
- What do you like about your friend?
- How does your friend make you feel?
- What does your friend look like?
- What activites do you like to do with your friend?
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Listen to Hello song
Linda teaching teachers in Taiwan
“Learning English through songs provides a non-threatening atmosphere for students who usually are tense when speaking English in a formal classroom setting.”
- Lo and Fai Li
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Songs offer a change from routine classroom activities
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Songs help to develop students abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing
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Songs can be used to teach a variety of language skills such as sentence patterns, vocabulary and pronunciation
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Songs can give insight into culture
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Songs are highly memorable
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Songs are motivating
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Songs help teach the prosodic (speech rhythms) features of the language such as stress, rhythm and intonation.
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Songs help teach English grammar eg nouns, verbs, adjectives etc
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Hello from Around the World:
Afrikaans - South Africa - Goeie More
Albanian - Albania - Tungjatjeta
Arabic - N. Africa, Middle East - Marhaba
Armenian - Armenia - Barevdzes
Azerbaijani - Azerbaijan, Iran - Salaam aleihum
Basque - Spain - Kaixo
Belarussian - Belarussia - Dobri Dzen
Bengali - India - Namoshkar
Bosnian - Bosnia - Merhaba
Bulgarian - Bulgaria - Zdravei
Burmese - Burma (Myanmar) - Min ga la baa
Cantonese - China - Nei ho
Cambodian (Khmer) - Cambodia - Joom reab suor
Catalan - Spain - Hola
Cherokee - N. America - O'siyo
Chichewa - Malawi - Moni
Chinese (Cantonese) - China - Nei hou ma
Chinese (Mandarin) - China - Ni hao
Croatian - Croatia, Bosnia - Bog
Czech - Czech Republic - Ahoj
Danish - Denmark, Greenland - Goddag, Hejsa
Dutch - Netherlands - Hallo, Goeiendag
English - America, Australia, UK - Hello
English - Australia - G'day
Esperanto - Worldwide - Saluton
Estonian - Estonia - Tere
Farsi - Persia - Salaam
Filipino - Philippines - Mabuhay
Finnish - Finland - Heippa, Moi
French - France - Bonjour
Georgian - Georgia - Gamarjobat
German - Germany - Guten tag
Greek - Greece - Geia sou
Guam - Guam - Hafa dai
Hawaiian - Hawaii - Aloha
Hebrew - Israel - Shalom, Ma nishma
Hindi - India - Namaste
Hmong - Laos, Thailand - Nyob zoo
Hungarian - Hungary - Sziasztok
Indonesian - Indonesia - Salam, Apa kabar
Inuit - Canada - Kutaa
Irish Gaelic - Ireland - Dia dhuit
Italian - Italy - Ciao
Japanese - Japan - Konnichiwa, Ohayo
Korean - Korea - Ahnyong
Lahu - Thailand, Burma - Cheh shala
Lao - Laos - Sa bai dii
Latin - Vatican City - Salve
Latvian - Latvia - Sveiki
Lisu - Thailand, Burma - Ali nga
Lithuanian - Lithuania - Labas
Luxembourgish - Luxembourg - Moien
Macedonian - Macedonia - Zdravo
Malagasy - Madagascar - Manao ahoana
Malay - Malaysia - Apa khabar
Malayalam - India - Namaskaram
Marshall - Marshall Islands - Kasalelia
Mohawk - N. America - Kwe
Mandinka - W. Africa - Kayira be
Maori - New Zealand - Kiaora
Mongolian - Mongolia - Sain bainu
Nepali - Nepal - Namaste
Nigerian - Nigeria -Bawoni
Norwegian - Norway - Hallo
Pao - Thailand, Burma - Na aw hsaw ha
Palau - Palau - Alii
Papiamento - Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire - Con ta bai
Pidgin english - Papua New Guinea - Gude
Polish - Poland - Dzien dobry
Portuguese - Portugal, Brazil - Ola
Punjabi - Punjab, India - Sat Sri Akal
Romanian - Romania - Salut
Russian - Russia - Privet
Saad (Navajo) - N. America - Ya at' eeh
Saipan - Saipan Island - Hafa dai
Samoan - Samoan Islands - Talofa
Serbian - Serbia - Zdravo
Setswana - Botswana - dumela mma (to female)
Setswana - Botswana - dumela rra (to male)
Slovak - Slovakia - Ahoj
Slovenian - Slovenia - Zdravo, Zivjo
Spanish - S. and C. America, Spain - Hola
Sri Lankan - Sri Lanka - Kohomada
Swahili - Africa - Jambo
Swedish - Sweden - Hej
Tagalog - Philippines - Oy
Tamil - India - Vanakkam, Nalama
Telugu - India - Namaskaaramulu
Thai - Thailand - Sawaddee ka (to female)
Thai - Thailand - Sawaddee krab (to male)
Turkish - Turkey - Merhaba
Ukrainian - Ukraine - Privit, Dobri den
Urdu - Pakistan - Asalam alaykum
Vietnamese - Vietnam - Chao
Welsh - Wales - Dydd da
Xhosa - South Africa – Molo
All over the world children are saying - hello!
Hello Around the World
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Fitness For Children
Let’s get our children involved in physical activity NOW!!
It is a sad reflection of our current life-style that 1 in 4 children are overweight and 1 in 7 children are obese. “Over eating is not the main cause of child obesity,” says an Auckland specialist, Dr Wayne Cutfield “There has been a change from physical activities for children to sedentary activities.” The sedentary lifestyle is due to television, PlayStation, computer games and the internet. Unfortunately, we are moving into a much more technologically sophisticated era that involves a lot more computer and sedentary activity,” he said.
Children need at least an hour of exercise a day where they get a bit of a sweat up!
Physical activity can:
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Increase feeling of well-being
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Reduce the risk of heart disease
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Develop a strong, efficient heart
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Assist with weight control
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Increase alertness/concentration
Hearty Fun Nutrition For Children Level 1
Hearty Fun Level 1
Here are some great activities to do with children to help teach them about healthy food.
Exploring New Foods
Learning Outcome:
Children are able to identify and taste new foods, experience different textures, and describe how the food ‘feels’ in their mouths
Learning Activity:
Select some foods that may be unfamiliar to the children as well as some that will be familiar.
Look at the foods in their unprepared (raw) state as well as their ready to eat state. Discuss how the new foods might taste, smell and what the texture is like before they taste them.
It is fun after the tasting, to encourage the children to describe how the foods tasted. Some children may like to be blindfolded and try the new foods again without being able to see them.
Food Groups
Learning Outcome:
Children will be able to group foods and discuss the types of foods that make them healthy and strong.
Healthy food can be put into groups called the four food groups. By eating some foods from each of the four food groups each day, we can all get enough food for energy and growth.
Learning Activity:
Encourage children to name foods from each of the four food groups.
You may like to find pictures of foods that belong in each food group then let the children practise grouping the foods into each of the four food groups.
Helpful Information:
Daily requirements for 2 – 5 year olds:
2-3 servings of milk and milk products
2 servings of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables
4 servings of bread and cereals
1 serving of lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, peas,
beans and lentils.
Daily requirements for 5 – 12 year olds:
2-3 servings of milk and milk products
3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit
5 servings of bread and cereals
1 serving of lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, peas,
beans and lentils.
Foods From Different Cultures
Learning Outcome:
Children will be able to recognise and accept foods from other cultures.
Learning Activity:
It is fun to have a theme looking at the different foods people from different cultures eat. If your centre or school has families from different cultures, ask them if they would like to bring one traditional food along for the children to learn about and taste. To get a wide representation of different cultures you may need to look to your wider community.
Hearty Fun Nutrition For Children Level 2
Hearty Fun Level 2
Real Food Pyramid
Learning Outcome:
Children are able to select foods belonging to the ‘eat lots’ and ‘eat less’ groups of the Real Food Pyramid, (fruit, vegetables, breads and cereals) and eat some groups (milk and milk products, lean meat, seafood, chicken, eggs, peas, beans and lentils) recognising these foods as a healthy choice.
Learning Activity:
Draw a large pyramid shape on the wall. Make a collage of food pictures from the four food groups. The real food pyramid is available as a poster from the Heart Foundation.
Food Preparation
Learning Outcome:
Children will be able to identify the foods prepared as healthy choices.
Learning Activity:
Try making some of the following suggestions in your classroom. Remember this is an opportunity to reinforce food safety messages, (hand-washing, tasting using a clean spoon etc.)
Friendship Soup. Each child brings a vegetable along to school. The vegetables are washed/peeled/ grated/cut as appropriate by the children and cooked up into a delicious soup which is eaten at lunchtime.
Sandwiches:
Children can explore different ways to make sandwiches eg. club, pinwheels, open sandwiches, sandwiches cut with a cookie cutter into different shapes.
Popcorn:
Freshly popped corn can be eaten without salt or sugar.
Where Foods Come From
Learning Outcome:
Children are able to identify the origins of different foods.
Learning Activity:
The teacher selects either pictures or real food products, then small groups of children discuss where the foods have come from originally. It may be interesting to look at composite foods eg. tinned baked beans in tomato sauce. This activity could also be linked with a trip to a food processing plant.
Treats and Snacks
Learning Outcome:
Children are able to successfully identify treat foods and snack foods.
Learning Activity:
Assemble some pictures of treat foods and snack foods and get the children to sort them into treats and snacks.
Here are some suggestions –
Snacks:
Sandwiches (all shapes and kinds eg open, club, rolled up ones, toasted), fresh fruit, yogurt, raw vegetable sticks and peanut butter or lentil/bean based dip, natural popcorn.
Treats:
Chippies, fruit leathers, chocolate covered muesli bars, fizzy drink.
Helpful Information: Snacks are the healthy foods from the four food groups (see list above) that we eat between meals. Treats are the foods that we eat only every now and then as they are higher in fat, salt, and sugar.
Nutrition Activities written by Megan Grant Heart Foundation - as featured in the Hearty Fun Fitness Programme
For a catalogue of other education resources contact the Heart Foundation
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Merry Christmas Around the World:
Argentina - Feliz Navidad!
Brazil - Boas Festas!
China (Mandarin) - Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan!
Croatia - Sretan Bozic!
Denmark - Glædelig Jul!
Esperanto - Gajan Kristnaskon!
Finland - Hyvää Joulua!
France - Joyeux Noël!
Germany - Froehliche Weihnachten!
Greece - Kala Christouyenna!
Hawaii - Mele Kalikimaka!
Iceland - Gledileg Jol!
India - Shub Naya Baras!
Indonesia /Malaysia - Selamat Hari Natal!
Iraq - Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah!
Ireland - Nollaig Shona Dhuit!
Italy - Buone Feste Natalizie!
Japan - Shinnen omedeto!
Korea - Sung Tan Chuk Ha!
Lapland - Buorrit Juovllat!
Native America (Navajo) - Merry Keshmish!
Netherlands - Vrolijk Kerstfeest!
New Zealand (Maori) - Meri Kirihimete!
Philippines - Maligayang Pasko!
Poland - Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia!
Portugal - Boas Festas!
Russia - Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom!
Serbia - Hristos se rodi!
Spain - Feliz Navidad!
Sri Lanka - Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal!
Sweden + Norway - God Jul!
Thailand - Sawadee Pee Mai!
Vietnam - Chung Mung Giang Sinh!
Yugoslavia - Cestitamo Bozic!
All over the world children are saying Merry Christmas!
Love to Sing Christmas
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