Movement Scarves are one of my favorite props to use in the classroom. They can be used in so many ways and leave room for lots of creative expression.
In fact, there is no “wrong way” to use them! Hand them out, turn on the music and just twirl and dance – or lead guided movements. Use them as dress up fabric, as “tails”, or as blankets for songs that we “sleep’ and then wake up and dance in. (Like Sleeping Bunnies or The Lion Sleeps Tonight.)
In today’s video I guide you through actions you can do with your scarves while we chant the rhyme Rain On The Grass (which I learned from the Jbrary YouTube Channel).
We go through the four season imitating the different kinds of weather/conditions with our movement scarves. (Feel free to change, adapt or extend this activity in anyway that fits for your environment!)
And then, we do one of my favorite activities, which is make a flower bloom with our scarves and the rhyme Here Is A Green Leaf.
CHECK IT ALL OUT HERE:
BENEFITS OF THESE RHYMES & MOVEMENT SCARVES ACTIVITIES:
GROSS & FINE MOTOR DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT WRITING: That’s a long title, I know – LOL! But I always talk about gross and fine motor development, but I wanted to tell you how that actually helps. Before a child can really hold a crayon, pen or pencil and also use it to make steady lines and circles, they have to develop the fine motor muscles in their hands and wrists. But BEFORE They can do that – they must develop the bigger muscles in thier arms, shoulders and chest! So with this activity – we just grasping the scarf and moving it around in our hands, helps those fine motor skills, and then the bigger movements – especially the overhead ones – help to develop those larger muscles. It all works together! (
WEATHER & SEASON IDENTIFICATION: Learning about the world around us and our environment is what it’s all about for toddlers and preschoolers. Beginning to learn about the weather and what kinds of weather are associated with each season is exciting stuff! You can adapt this rhyme to the season you are in and do it for just this season. Have a discussion about what else occurs during this season that might be “on the grass, on the trees and on the roof”?
INDEPENDENCE & EMPOWERMENT: I love the “flower blooming” activity of Here Is A Green Leaf. When the children first see it they think it’s magical. And then when they quickly learn they can do it themselves, you can see their sense of accomplishment and pride. It’s very empowering for them.
