Instrumental Activity Book - Go Round the Mountain

"Go Round the Mountain" is an engaging instrumental activity book designed to get children actively involved in music-making through movement and rhythm. The song itself is simple and catchy, featuring repetitive phrases like "Go round the mountain" and "Tu-di diddle-dum." As the children sing, they participate in a series of coordinated actions that align with the lyrics. Pairs of children form inner and outer circles, and on the prompt "go round the mountain," they hold hands and swap places. The words "tu-di" cue the children to stamp their feet, while "diddledum" signals them to tap their knees. The sequence culminates with a hand clap on the word "day." When instructed to "all change direction," the outer circle moves to the right, and the actions are repeated with the same enthusiasm.

The activities extend beyond singing and moving, with various exercises to enhance musical understanding and coordination. Children are given a pair of claves and divided into two groups, each tapping out alternating lines of the song on the floor, creating a layered musical texture. To further challenge their cognitive skills, they perform the same activity using "thinking voices," an exercise that encourages internal rhythm without vocalisation. Another skill-building task involves tapping the pulse of the song with one hand while simultaneously tapping out the rhythm with the other, which can be done on their knees or on drums as shown in a DVD resource. These activities not only make music education fun but also develop important motor and auditory skills.