Singing Games Year 1 Notations - Nursery rhyme clapping game

The classic nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill" is transformed into an engaging clapping game for Year 1 students, providing a fun and interactive way to experience music and rhythm. The notation for the rhyme is set in 6/8 time, capturing the playful and bouncing tempo of the song. Children are invited to stand in two concentric circles, an inner one and an outer one, ensuring that each child from the inner circle is directly facing a partner from the outer circle. This setup is ideal for a clapping routine where children can easily interact with one another.

To begin the game, a selection of three nursery rhymes is recommended, with examples including "Mary Mary," "Humpty Dumpty," and "Twinkle Twinkle." As the children sing the first nursery rhyme, they clap hands with their partners in a 'pat-a-cake' style, which helps them to keep time with the music and engage in physical coordination. After completing the first song, the children chant "Move up" while those in the inner circle step to the right, finding themselves a new partner. This rotation continues, allowing the children to interact with different classmates as they sing and clap through the remaining nursery rhymes. The songs chosen for this activity are ideally in a 6/8 time signature to maintain the skipping rhythm, but any combination of songs can be used to suit the game.