The forbidden minibeast - Song

The Forbidden Minibeast

This is a call and response clapping game. Everyone sits in a circle and the teacher or leader claps the rhythms of four minibeasts :

• Cat-er-pill-ar
• Cen-ti-pede
• Liz-ard
• Ant

Start by saying and clapping the names, with the children saying and clapping back.

Next, clap the rhythms only. Any child is allowed to call out the right minibeast name.

Now for the final game: Say, 'Today's Forbidden Minibeast is ... Lizard'. The children clap back whichever rhythm you clap UNLESS you clap Lizard, in which case they must not clap. They either sit still or do a silent action such as touching their noses. By the way, I dislike the notion of those who get it wrong being 'out' - it's not necessary, the fear of being 'out' is inhibiting and it's no fun at all.

Change the minibeasts every few days, particularly the Forbidden Minibeast - we don't want to raise a generation of children who bear a grudge against lizards.