Rhythm and Pulse Reception Notations - Hickety tickety bumble bee

The 'Hickety Tickety Bumble Bee' activity is a rhythmic game designed for young children in a reception class to help them understand and feel the pulse in music. It involves a simple chant where children sit in a circle and pass a beanbag around to the steady beat of the chant. The lyrics of the chant are "Hickety tickety bumble bee, can you say your name for me?" When the beanbag reaches a child on the word 'me', that child states their name rhythmically within the sentence structure provided. The rest of the group then echoes this by repeating the child's name in the format "Her name is [name]!" This repetition helps reinforce the rhythm and pulse of the activity.

The game is designed to be interactive and can be varied by preparing the children for the next round with a preparatory rhythmic phrase like "are you ready?" To add another layer of fun and engagement, puppets can be introduced. Selected children are given puppets and encouraged to say their names using different voices. The group then mimics the voice used by the puppeteer, which not only adds variety to the game but also helps children to listen carefully and respond creatively. The activity can be conducted with or without the beanbag, allowing for flexibility in directing the chant to specific children and ensuring that every child gets a turn to participate in the rhythm and pulse exercise.