<h3>At the Bottom of the Sea </h3><p>You'll need to teach the song first before playing this game. The children take turns to be a fish, swimming in and out of the other children who are sitting in their own space on the floor, singing the song. When the song stops, the 'fish' taps the shoulder of the nearest child who then becomes the fish. The game ends when each child has been a fish so the swimming fish must only tap a child on the shoulder who has not yet had their turn. </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>At the bottom of the sea</li>            <li>All the fish are swimming</li>            <li>Here and there and everywhere</li>            <li>They&#039;re swimming in the ocean</li>    </ul>                                                                                                                                                    

<h3>In the Sea Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ On the Boat! (developing listening skills)</h3><p>This is a version of a listening skills game that I learned from my good friend, Stephanie, with whom I worked for several years. The children loved it! Put two, long rows of joined-together skipping ropes on the ground, about a metre apart, and curve the ends round to meet, making a boat shape. Inside the lines of rope, the children are on the boat; outside the lines they are in the sea. Alternate between calling out, 'On the boat!' - the children jump into the 'boat' - and, 'In the sea' - the children jump into the sea. </p>                                                                                                                                                                                <h4>Extension Activity (timbre)</h4><p>The game is great fun just as it stands but you could extend it by playing, for instance, a drum for <em>In the sea</em> and a tambourine for <em>On the Boat</em>. The children have to listen very carefully to just the instrument without the words.</p>                                                                                                                                                

In the sea â€¦ on the boat! (developing listening skills) - Video

<h3>A Sea Sound Picture</h3><p>Collect together lots of seaside items that can make a sound eg a spade against a bucket, pebbles in a bag, a bouncy beach ball. Ask the children to choose a seaside sound that they can make as part of a seaside sound picture in which they take turns to make sounds and also make sounds at the same time, just like it would be on the beach. Encourage creativity with vocal sounds, found sounds (eg pouring water into a bucket) and body sounds too. Make a recording of the sound picture for the children to listen to. </p><p>Here is one we made earlier! We used: walking on gravel, bouncing a ball, pouring water, shaking shells in a bag, picking up and putting down large pebbles, vocal sshhh sounds and blowing sounds for the breeze. Shall I tell you or not? ... We cheated a bit by using a rainstick and the passing car is there because we recorded it outside.</p>                                                                                                                                                    

A sea sound picture - Song

<h3>In the Sea â€¦ On the Boat! (developing listening skills)</h3><p>This is a version of a listening skills game that I learned from my good friend, Stephanie, with whom I worked for several years. The children loved it! Put two, long rows of joined-together skipping ropes on the ground, about a metre apart, and curve the ends round to meet, making a boat shape. Inside the lines of rope, the children are on the boat; outside the lines they are in the sea. Alternate between calling out, 'On the boat!' - the children jump into the 'boat' - and, 'In the sea' - the children jump into the sea. </p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/384792477?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <h4>Extension Activity (timbre)</h4><p>The game is great fun just as it stands but you could extend it by playing, for instance, a drum for <em>In the sea</em> and a tambourine for <em>On the Boat</em>. The children have to listen very carefully to just the instrument without the words.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/marios-kefalas-WwdjAFQf7NA-unsplash.png" alt="Marios Kefalas Wwdj Afqf7 Na Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>Guess the Buried Treasure (timbre)</h3><p>Fill identical containers (not see-through ones) with everyday <em>treasure</em> objects like coins, tiny beads, pretend bank notes, coloured stones, 'silver' teaspoons, sugar (once very expensive!). They must sound different when shaken. Before you begin the game, talk with the children about what treasure might be eg jewels, precious stones, coins, bank notes, silver cutlery, rare foods, magic beans.</p><p>First the children have to find the containers, labelled with a picture of a pirate for identification, hidden around the room. Next they shake the containers and guess what is in them. Show the contents of the containers when everyone has guessed.</p><p>Put the contents back and let the children shake them again and try to say what is in them by listening, and comparing with the sounds they remember. </p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/rumman-amin-ZgwLhzXNLqc-unsplash.png" alt="Rumman Amin Zgw Lhz Xnlqc Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>At the Bottom of the Sea </h3><p>You'll need to teach the song first before playing this game. The children take turns to be a fish, swimming in and out of the other children who are sitting in their own space on the floor, singing the song. When the song stops, the 'fish' taps the shoulder of the nearest child who then becomes the fish. The game ends when each child has been a fish so the swimming fish must only tap a child on the shoulder who has not yet had their turn. </p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>At the bottom of the sea</li>            <li>All the fish are swimming</li>            <li>Here and there and everywhere</li>            <li>They&#039;re swimming in the ocean</li>    </ul>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/At_the_bottom_of_the_sea.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/fish.png" alt="Fish">    </div>

Seaside & Under the Sea Level: Early Years - Skills & games

Year 1

Year 2

Seaside

Music

At the bottom of the sea - Song

Music Playtime has been created by a Key Stage 1 and Early Years Music education specialist. The schemes are built in recognition of the fact that most primary teachers are not music specialists. Access the knowledge and the ideas you need to feel confident teaching music.