Valentine’s Day Steady Beat Activities

Let’s get the steady beat and rhythm going in music class this February with Valentine’s Dayi Steady Beat Activities.

Elementary music class is so fun during February!  So many holidays to help students make cultural connections!  So here are a couple of Valentine’s Day Steady Beat Activities you can use in your elementary music classes.

VALENTINE’S DAY STEADY BEAT ACTIVITIES

TAP AND CHANT

Another Way to teach the steady beat is to use pictures to show the beat.

• Pick a chant you can use for Valentine’s Day.
• Display the beat chart.
• Tap the shapes as you chant the words (the rhythm).
• Next, have your students tap as you say the chant.
• Then, have the students say the words as you tap.
• Finally, you can have your students tap and chant together.

You’ll want to get the VALENTINE’S DAY STEADY BEAT CHARTS AND ACTIVITIES RESOURCE from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

VALENTINE’S DAY STEADY BEAT AND RHYTHM ACTIVITIES

Now, these steps can’t be done in one lesson!

So, you’ll need some other activities to use that reinforce and give experiencing the idea of steady beat.

VALENTINE’S DAY STEADY BEAT PLAY ALONG

That’s why I like to use movement right after this activity.

This song is perfect for the next step.

FREE FLASHCARDS AND BEAT CHARTS

Valentine’s Day Body Percussion Activity

MOVE TO THE BEAT

The steady beat is something all music teachers are trying to help their students feel and show.

Our students struggle to stay focused for more than a few minutes and lack interest in the things that we may have liked as a kid. Things are rapidly changing in the world and it’s hard to keep up with the latest “thing” that kids are doing.  It’s a daunting reality for all teachers.

That’s why this blog post has creative movement activities for children. Integrating movement opportunities into your regular class activities can help your students not only get the wiggles out, but learn music concepts too.

Remember what Carl Orff said: “Tell me, I forget, show me, I remember, involve me, I understand.”

It’s about DOING things that helps children learn.

I use a lot of movement and body percussion with my kinders to help them feel the beat. 

VALENTINE’S DAY BODY PERCUSSION ACTIVITY

And for Valentine’s Day steady beat activities you can use the drum to sound like the beat of the heart.

• Have all of your students place their hands on their hearts and lightly tap as you play the drum.
• Next you can have them do a variety of movements to feel the beat.
• We will walk around the circle to the beat of a drum.
• We will pat the beat to music.
• We will clap the beat.
• We will play the beat on pitched and non-pitched instruments.

Whichever way you teach them- I feel like it’s important to have them do a variety of activities so that you reach all your students.

Use this song for students to move on the beat!

“Words on the Candy”

Every time they say the “words on the candy” have them CLAP!

Here are the Lyrics:

You can also use instrumental music for walking, tip toe

VALENTINE’S DAY INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TRACKS

Use this Freeze Dance activity and ask students to MOVE ON THE BEAT!  You may have to demonstrate or do it with them- so wear comfortable clothing that day!

Or choose some children to model the action on the beat.  Scroll through the video and STOP for students to practice with a drum and then do it with the music.

Valentine’s Day Freeze Dance 

Another fun activity is to teach students a movement pattern they can play on the beat.

This video has a teaching section in it with the actions.  You can watch it before hand and teach it yourself, or use it in your classroom.

The song is perfect for Valentine’s Day activities.

“Skidamarink”

VALENTINE’S DAY CREATIVE MOVEMENT

Lastly, you can use scarves for your Valentine’s Day steady beat activities.

I like to use scarf activities mixed in with some of the steady beat ones to help students experience the difference between the beat and no beat. 

Let the children move freely with the scarves.

Then have them sit criss cross with their scaf in one hand.

How do you feel when you move your scarf?

Let’s play our scarf in the air like it’s a drum.

BOUNCE-BOUNCE-BOUNCE-BOUNCE

Can you feel the beat ?

Then I play the instrumental music and  have the students bounce their scarves to the beat.

It’s always fun to chose a BEAT leader who stands in front of the class.

Then stop the music and the BEAT leader chooses someone else.

It’s a great game to play at the end of class!

I’m hoping that these Valentine’s Day steady beat activities will help you teach your elementary music students to feel the beat!