You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement.
HOW TO TEACH DYNAMICS WITH SCARF MOVEMENT
Using scarf movement is a fun and effective way to teach music dynamics. Children will love waving, tossing and swishing their scarves high and low to the music.
“Grizzly Bear” is a favorite of most elementary music teachers.
Grizzly bear, a grizzly bear is sleeping in a cave.
Please be very quiet, very very quiet,
If you wake him, if you shake him, he gets very mad!
It’s a story song and easy to learn.
The song incorporates singing and movement to help children learn about music dynamics.
The game is easy to play too!
GET THE FREE ACTIVITY!
![Free Dynamics Activity "Grizzly Bear Song" by Sing Play Create](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/34247_grizzly-630x630.jpg)
LEARN THE SONG
Ask students to show LOUD and SOFT (QUIET) using body actions.
Get BIG when the music is LOUD and get SMALL when the music is QUIET.
PLAY THE GAME
Students stand in a circle on the floor.
One student (the “Grizzly Bear”) stands/sits in the middle and closes eyes while everyone sings the song.
The students gradually tip toe towards the “Grizzly Bear” and then FREEZE on the word “MAD”.
The bear then chases the students who run back to their spots.
Whoever the bear tags is the next bear.
GAME VERSIONS
There are several variations on how to play this game. I adapted the game sometimes when the students would get too noisy or wild.
Instead of playing in a circle, I’d have the students line up at one end of the classroom and put the bear at the other end. This gave everyone more space to move.
I also would have students take turns being the “trees” in the forest and the other half play the game.
This meant less children running around.
Lastly, you can play this game with the grizzly bear spinning and count down from 3 and whomever they point at becomes the bear.
Hopefully, you’ll find a way to play the game that works for you and your students.
SCARF MOVEMENT
Use the scarf as a puppet as shown in the video.
![You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement. SING PLAY 'CREATE](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/PUPPET-1-1120x630.jpg)
![You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement. SING PLAY 'CREATE](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/PUPPET-1120x630.jpg)
Keep the scarf movement small and low for “QUIET”.
![You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement. SING PLAY 'CREATE](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/QUIET-1120x630.jpg)
Wave the scarf BIG and WIDE for “LOUD”.
![You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement. SING PLAY 'CREATE](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MAD-1120x630.jpg)
MORE KINDERGARTEN MUSIC ACTIVITIES
Here is a complete Music Dynamics activity to help your K-2 students learn dynamics.
Music Dynamics Lesson & Activities: Song, Games, Worksheets, Flash Cards
![Music Dynamics Lesson & Activities: Song, Games, Worksheets, Flash Cards](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/1703_1-630x630.jpg)
Here is a free music activity to help teach HIGH and LOW to KINDERGARTEN.
![Teach high and low with these interactive free resources from Sing Play Create.](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Slide15-1-630x630.jpg)
READ THIS POST for more Kindergarten music activity ideas!
10 Scarf Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten Music Time
Spring Kindergarten Music Activities
Thanks for reading this post!
![Sandra from Sing Play Create](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/sandra-web-1200x268.jpg)
![You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement.](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/240205_grizzly-scarf-blog-TK-354x630.jpg)
![You can use scarves to teach dynamics in your elementary music classes. Use the Grizzly Bear song to teach dynamics with scarf movement.](https://www.singplaycreate.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/240205_grizzly-scarf-ig_bpt-630x630.jpg)