Blog Posts

Focus and Fun for Your Choir

Denise Gagne

I got an email this week: I am looking for some game/ activities I can use for a choir grade 1-6 ( together) that will be interesting and hold the students attention. I am subbing and lesson plans are thin. So I was wondering if you could suggest something. Thank you G

With a wide age range, it is always a challenge to find activities that will work for all of them. But learning to watch the conductor and stay focussed through an entire song (or an entire concert) is something that all choirs need to learn.

When I do choral warmups with young choirs, I use a lot of action songs as warmups or shake ups - they are great for warmups and as focus activities. All of the following are from Action Songs Vol. 2 (found here!). I would do 1 or 2 each choir practice.

Ham and Eggs

Ham and Eggs Notation

In this one, divide the class or choir into two groups. One group is "ham" and the other "eggs." Do the actions only first, then when the kids know it well, stand up for your part!

We Love to Sing

We Love to Sing Notation

This is another song where you divide kids into two groups. One group sings "alleluia" and the other "we love to sing." When the kids know it well, stand up for your part! try dividing into three groups - one sings "alelu", one sings, "ia" and one sings "we love to sing." It's hilarious.

Additional favorites to use as choir warmups/shakeups:
Button Factory
We Come From Pluto
My Aunt Came Back

Some of the other activities I do with choir to get them watching and listening.

Simon Says - I say "Simon says put your hand on your head." "Simon says jump 3 times." "Simon says put your hands on knees." The kids are supposed to whatever I saw when "Simon says" Then, I'll do one like - "Clap your hands" - if they did it, they're caught because Simon didn't say.

For watching the conductor, I sometimes have them copy me. I tap a finger in my hand at a variety of tempos, then stop. Those that keep going are "caught."

Another trick to get kids watching is to put a sticker on your nose. Tell the students you're going to watch them, and if you can find someone in the choir who doesn't take their eyes off of you for an entire song, you'll give it to them.

Find two choir performances of the same song on YouTube and compare the focus of the two choirs. If you can find a really excellent performance and a not great one, your students will really see how important it is to focus in performance.

Rounds are a great way to get your students singing in parts. In the Musicplay curriculum, rounds are introduced in grade 2, and in Gr. 3-6, there is a new round every two weeks.

Whoopee Cushion - Musicplay 3

Whoopee cushion Notation

This is my piggyback version of Little Tommy Tinker. Add movements:

hold bottom, stand
Home Alone face, shake head no
raise hands in the air with straight arms, lower, raise, lower
Fold hands to chest and sit down.

Be sure that your students are doing really well in unison before ever attempting parts. The first time you try parts, the class should do one part and you do the other. If they're succesful with this, divide the class into two groups. The first time trying a round, start group 2 after group one is half-way. They'll be more successful than starting them after one phrase.

If you have a student that is good at remembering the movements, have them lead one group and you lead the other. This also helps the kids to stay on their part.

Donkeys Love Carrots - Musicplay 3

Screenshot 2023-06-23 at 9.59.52 AM

Movements:
1. flop hands on head like donkey ears
2. shake head "no" 3. raise hands in the air with straight arms, lower, raise, lower 4. Cup hand to ear to "listen"