Sub-Friendly Music Games
The most ideal rug/circle games to leave for a substitute share these qualities:
Some Go-To Games:
- They're familiar to your students - They already know how to play
- They don't require many (or even better, any) materials or technology
- They incorporate safe, controlled movement
- They don't require subs to sing extensively
- They're simple!
Some Go-To Games:
- Charlie Over the Ocean Circle Game Substitute Directions
- Have students sit in their regular spots around the perimeter of the rug
- Ask students to recite the words of the song "Charlie Over the Ocean", first with a speaking voice then with a singing voice
- Ask students to share out reminders about how to play the game: One student walks around the circle leading the rest in the echo song. when they get to the last word "Me" the student should tap the student in front of them on the shoulder, then safely try to beat that student to an empty spot. The student tagged becomes the new leader. **Extension: For their turn, students may choose the tempo for their peers to sing (slow, medium, fast)
- Allow students to play the game for as long as they can do so safely and respectfully, ideally making sure each student gets one turn.
- Hot and Cold Classroom Game Substitute Directions
- Select an object of your choice in the room that can be hidden while students sit in their regular rug spots.
- Ask students to recite the words of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" (this can be substituted for any familiar rote song), first with a speaking voice then with a singing voice.
- Ask students to share out reminders about how to play the game: One student will go into the closet, or into the hallway. While they are absent, another classmate will hide the object somewhere in the room while the rest of the class watches. When the student in the hallway or closet returns, students will sing "Twinkle Twinkle", singing softer the farther the student is from the object and louder as they approach where the object is hidden - Remind the students to always use a singing voice, never a shouting voice. Students may repeat the song until the object is found, after which new turns may begin.
- Allow students to play the game for as long as they can do so safely and respectfully, ideally making sure each student gets a turn hiding or seeking the object.
- Little Sally Walker Circle Game Substitute Directions
- Have students sit in their regular spots around the perimeter of the rug
- Ask students to recite the words of the song "Little Sally Walker", first with a speaking voice then with a singing voice
- Ask students to share out reminders about how to play the game: One student sits in the middle of the circle as the rest of the students sing "Little Sally Walker". As the song continues, the student in the middle should act out the motions (standing up, wiping their eyes, then spinning around with their eyes closed). When the song ends, the student may open their eyes and stop spinning, signaling which student's turn is next based on where their body is pointing. **Extension: For their turn, students may choose the tempo for their peers to sing (slow, medium, fast)
- Allow students to play the game for as long as they can do so safely and respectfully, ideally making sure each student gets one turn.
- Grizzly Bear Classroom Game Substitute Directions
- Have students sit in their regular spots on the rug
- Ask students to recite the words of the song "Grizzly Bear", first with a speaking voice then with a singing voice. Ask students which part of the song is meant to be quiet, and which part is meant to be louder (the beginning of the song should be soft, and students should not sing more loudly until the very end of the song in order to wake the grizzly bear).
- Ask students to share out reminders about how to play the game: One student is selected to be the "grizzly bear", and sent to sit facing away from the rug at a table in the classroom with their head down. While they're "asleep" , another student is selected to wake the bear while their classmates sing the song, quickly going up and softly tapping the bear on the shoulder, then returning to the rug before the end of the song. The grizzly bear should not pick their head up and look around until the song ends, at which point they can look at their classmates to try to guess who did the waking. They get one guess, after which the real grizzly bear-waker will raise their hand. It will now be their turn to be the grizzly bear, and you will have to select the next student.
- Allow students to play the game for as long as they can do so safely and respectfully, ideally making sure each student gets one turn as the grizzly bear and the waker.