It's So Easy To Teach Body Percussion

Kids of all ages can learn to do body percussion. If you've ever played Pat-A-Cake you've done body percussion. Easy and Fun! 

Action Songs with words that tell them how to move 

Common Children's songs and Rhymes 

Just simply making up rhythms and games together with your child or letting your children explore themselves. 

Bring in other instruments too and have your children mimic the sounds with their mouth, hands and body. 

These are some great body percussion songs and activities to try with your children. 

1) We all Clap Hands Together is a great repetitive song that is fun and catchy. 

We all clap hands together,
We all clap hands together,
We all clap hands together,
As children like to do.

We all stamp feet together,
We all stamp feet together,
We all stamp feet together,
As children like to do.

We all slap knees together,
We all slap knees together,
We all slap knees together,
As children like to do.

We all tap fingers together,
We all tap fingers together,
We all tap fingers together,
As children like to do.

2) This is the We Tap Our Fingers is another way to sing "This is the way". You can replace words with anything you like. 

This is the way we tap our fingers,
Tap our fingers, tap our fingers.
This is the way we tap our fingers,
While we sing our song.

This is the way we click our tongues, (click)
Click our tongues (click), click our tongues (click).
This is the way we click our tongues (click),
While we sing our song.

This is the way we slap our thighs,
Slap our thighs, slap our thighs.
This is the way we slap our thighs,
While we sing our song.

This is the way we snap our fingers,
Snap our fingers, snap our fingers.
This is the way we snap our fingers,
While we sing our song.

3) A classic! If You're Happy and You Know It! 

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.
If you’re happy and you know it,
And you really want to show it.
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.

The ants go marching one by one,
Hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
Hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain.
Boom boom boom.

Here are the words to substitute for the rest of the verses:

Two by two: The little one stops to tie his shoe
Three by three: The little one stops to climb a tree
Four by four: The little one stops to shut the door
Five by five: The little one stops to take a dive
Six by six: The little one stops to pick up sticks
Seven by seven: The little one stops to pray to heaven
Eight by eight: The little one stops to roller skate
Nine by nine: The little one stops to check the time
Ten by ten: The little one stops to shout, “The End!”

5) One of our favorites is to play sounds to music. We like to mimic the sounds we hear in the song with our hands, mouth, clapping along, snapping stomping along with the beat. This teaches children to follow the rhythm of the music. Changing up music with different tempos will get your children familiar with different tempos.

6) Introducing music instruments and mimicking the sounds Have children listen for similarities and differences between the sounds the body makes verses the sounds the instrument makes. 

• Here are some fun instruments to try: 
• Triangle or finger cymbal - click fingers 
• Bang lightly on a hand drum - tap two fingers of one hand into the palm of the other hand or slap the knees 
• Bang on a timpani drum or listen to a gong - stamp the feet
• Hit rhythm sticks together - clap hands 
• Find a percussion instrument and try to mimic it with body percussion. 

7) Playing clapping games is a great way for teaching rhythm and building coordination too. 

• Story time clapping. Read a fun book and pick a word that repeats often and have your child clap every time they hear it. 
• Pat-A-Cake is a classic. While you sing the song make the motions of making the cake. 

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

Pat it and roll it and mark it with a “b“

And put it in the oven for Baby and me

Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can;
Roll it up, roll it up;
And throw it in a pan!
Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s man.

8) Double Double is a cool hand game which is more complicated than the previous games. Use both hands at the same time and it's done with a partner. You try to go as fast as you can. 

Hand movements: 

Double: fist bump

This: Front of your hands as a clap 

That: Back of your hands as a clap

Double, double, this, this,
Double, double, that, that,
Double this, double that,
Double, double, this, that.

There are so many fun ways to develop body awareness, fine motor skills, gross motor skills and so many other things. Pick one or all of the above and have fun!