Music, Rhythm & Pattern (EYFS)

Inside Music, Rhythm & Pattern (EYFS)

fast and slow sounds, loud and quiet sounds, copying clap patterns like clap-clap-stamp, keeping a steady beat to songs you love, and making a shaker from home things. Use your hands, feet and voice. About 15 gentle minutes with a grown-up.

Learning objectives

• listen for and name fast and slow sounds and loud and quiet sounds;
• copy and continue a simple body-percussion pattern like clap-clap-stamp;
• keep a steady beat to a familiar song by tapping knees or a pot;
• make and play a home-made shaker, exploring the sounds it can make;
• sing, move and perform to favourite songs with growing confidence.

Activities in this book

1. Play 1 — Fast or Slow, Loud or Quiet

   say each one out loud together first — whisper the quiet ones and boom the loud ones, creep slowly and zoom fast. Your body knows the answer!

2. Play 2 — Copy My Clap Pattern

   clap and stamp the pattern out loud together lots of times — clap, clap, STAMP! Your hands and feet will tell you what comes next.

3. Play 3 — Keep the Steady Beat

   the beat is like the song's heartbeat — tap, tap, tap, always the same. Tap your knees gently and don't speed up, even in the exciting bits!

4. Play 4 — Make a Home-Made Shaker

   an empty bottle or pot with a good lid works best. Try different fillings — rice sounds soft and whispery, pasta sounds clatter-y. Tape the lid on tight!

5. Play 5 — Our Little Music Show

   put on some music you love and let your child lead — big stomps for loud parts, tiny tiptoes for quiet parts, wiggles for fast bits and slow-motion swims for slow bits.

Suggestions for teaching

• Use your bodies. Whisper, boom, creep and zoom the words fast, slow, loud and quiet so children feel each one before choosing an answer.
• Patterns. Clap and stamp each pattern together several times before asking what comes next — the answer lives in their hands and feet.
• Steady beat. Tap knees gently to a familiar song, like a heartbeat. Keep it slow and even; resist speeding up in exciting parts.
• Shakers. Any sealed bottle or tub with dry rice, pasta or buttons works. Let children compare fillings and describe the sounds in their own words.
• Performing. Follow your child's lead in the music show — joining in matters far more than getting it "right".