Movement songs and rhymes Up, up, up we jump together, Up, up, up we jump and STOP!
This very simple rhyme, spoken or sung to a tune you borrow or make up, is good to use in children's early music and movement activities.
Jumping on the spot (with small, bouncy, feet-together jumps) is one of the first movements young children can manage easily. The very youngest may just bounce with both feet still on the floor or do a half jump with one foot off the floor, but adults can help by holding children's hands and lifting them into jumps.
Judge the speed at which the children can bounce-jump comfortably and then say or sing the rhyme rather slowly and deliberately to match their movements exactly (one syllable for each jump).
The 'Stop!' command at the end is useful for all movement activities with young children as it helps them to learn to control their body movement by stopping and standing still at a given moment.
This rhyme, like many simple movement rhymes, can be adapted to include words such as 'clap', 'stomp', 'step', 'wriggle' and 'shake'. You can also vary the dynamics and tempo of the movements, and say the rhyme in a corresponding way.
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them together, clap them together
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Clap them together, 1 2 3!
Again, vary the parts of the body and movements when sharing this rhyme with children and try incorporating some of their suggestions.
Note Young children move at a different pace to adults as they have a lighter body weight, much shorter limbs and are proportioned differently.
So, set the style and speed of movements according to the children's example, not your own.