Favorite Patriotic Music and Movement Activities

President’s Day is a national holiday and sometimes gets overshadowed by Valentine’s Day. But I think we can give some “love” to this important historic holiday using some fun patriotic themed activities. That’s why I’m sharing my favorite patriotic music and movement activities for preschool through 4th grades.

In this post I’ll share how to teach BEAT, RHYTHM, AB FORM and CREATIVE MOVEMENT using my favorite patriotic music and movement activities and some PATRIOTIC SONGS.

TEACH THE STEADY BEAT

Teaching the steady beat to children is important for several reasons:

1. Foundation for Musical Skills
   Understanding and feeling the steady beat is fundamental to all music-making. It helps children play instruments, sing in rhythm, and engage in ensemble performances. Without this skill, they may struggle with more complex rhythmic concepts later on.
2. Supports Language Development
   A steady beat is closely linked to language acquisition and reading skills. Research shows that children who can maintain a steady beat are better at recognizing patterns in language, which aids in phonemic awareness, syllable segmentation, and fluency in reading.
3. Enhances Coordination and Motor Skills
   Practicing steady beat activities improves gross and fine motor coordination. Clapping, marching, or tapping to a beat helps children develop control over their movements, which also supports physical development and body awareness.

THREE MUSIC ACTIVITIES FOR BEAT AND RHYTHM

1. Beat Icon Path

Materials: Beat icon cards (e.g., hearts, stars, or footprints arranged in a line or grid)
Activity:

• Lay the beat icons in a path across the floor or on a table.
• Play a piece of music with a clear steady beat.
• Have children step, tap, or point to each icon in time with the music.
• Variation: Change the tempo of the music or replace icons with rhythm flashcards to introduce simple patterns like quarter notes and rests.
• (Use PATRIOTIC MUSIC TRACKS for this activity. Link to FREE MUSIC on APPLE, AMAZON, SPOTIFY)

2. Flashcard Relay

Materials: Rhythm flashcards with simple patterns (e.g., ta, ta, ta, ta or ta, ta, ti-ti, ta)
Activity:

• Divide the class into small groups. Each group gets a set of rhythm flashcards.
• Play a steady beat on a drum or use a metronome.
• Each group selects a card, claps the rhythm to the beat, and passes the card to the next group.
• Continue until all cards are used.
• Variation: Add movement by having groups walk around the room while clapping the rhythm.

3. Beat vs. Rhythm Sorting

Materials: Beat icon cards and rhythm flashcards
Activity:

• Create two sections: one labeled “Beat” and the other “Rhythm.”
• Show or play a pattern (e.g., clapping steady beats or a simple rhythm).
• Ask students to identify whether it matches the steady beat or a rhythm pattern.
• Place the corresponding icon or flashcard in the correct section.
• Variation: Challenge students to clap the steady beat while a rhythm is played simultaneously.

USE THE FREE PRINTABLES for these activities.

SUBSCRIBE to get the FREE RESOURCES that can help you teach the steady beat in your classroom.

RHYTHM PRACTICE

PATRIOTIC SONGS

FREE PATRIOTIC SONGS AND READERS THEATER in the TPT store.

This free resource is perfect for upper elementary students. You’ll be able to have them read the script and sing the songs. The flag ceremony is for those who want to use the script for their music program.

Here’s what’s included:

SCRIPT with 19 parts. Choose 1 student for each part,

or assign more than one part to several students.

Script comes 4 different versions.

#1 Script with a flag ceremony

#2 Script without a flag ceremony

#3 Big Scripts of both versions with and without the flag ceremony.

#4 Script without songs.

7 PATRIOTIC SONG LYRICS

“The Star Spangled Banner”

“America”

“Yankee Doodle”

“When Johnny Comes Marching Home”

“Dixie”

“The Marine’s Hymn”

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic”

*PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE POSTER

“RED, WHITE and BLUE” PATRIOTIC SONG

I wrote this song to help my students learn the meaning of the colors of the flag. It’s very easy to learn. In the video I show some hand actions your students may enjoy learning.

This song is also available as a resource with the materials to teach the song and perform it.

If you’re interested in that resource, here are the links:

CREATIVE MOVEMENT

Patriotic creative movement activities can be a fun way for students to increase their eye hand coordination, spatial awareness and hone social skills as well as get in a good workout using fine and gross motor muscles.

It’s fun to do the movements with patriotic themed music too! Move and freeze in this fun Patriotic freeze dance activity.

Don’t forget the scarves! We’ll use RED, WHITE and BLUE scarves in our activity to learn the colors of the American flag. We’ll move to patriotic music and swish, wiggle, bounce and swirl scarves using fine and gross motor muscles.

PATRIOTIC MUSIC LESSONS

CONCEPTS:

• Melody
• Bass
• Ostinato
• Form
• Playing and singing 2 parts together
• Rhythms: quarter, eighth, half notes, dotted quarter, dotted half notes

LESSON A

Sing the Song “Who is on the Coin?” parts A & B

Learn the rhythms and the Ostinato

Sing two parts together

Play melody, bass & Ostinato on instruments

LESSON B

Sing the song “”Lincoln and Washington”

Learn the rhythms and the Ostinato

Play melody, bass & Ostinato on instruments

Worksheet activity

DIFFERENTIATION IDEAS:

Consider the skills of your students. If they need work playing in an ensemble together, these activities provide many opportunities to hone those skills.

RESOURCES:

President’s Day Coin Rap, Orff Arrangement & Games “Who is on the Coin?”

TPT LINK

WEB SHOP LINK

President’s Day Orff Song, Lesson and Game: “Lincoln and Washington”

2 arrangements in the key of F and C, 4 Worksheets (2 each for K-2, 3-6)

TPT LINK

WEB SHOP LINK

Looking for more February Music Lesson Activities?

Celebrate with a Patriotic Freeze Dance Activity

Celebrate with a Patriotic Freeze Dance Activity

Elementary Music Patriotic Rhythm Activities

Elementary Music Patriotic Rhythm Activities

Elementary Music Patriotic Songs and Activities

Elementary Music Patriotic Songs and Activities

PATRIOTIC SONGS AND ACTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE AMERICA

PATRIOTIC SONGS AND ACTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE AMERICA

I’m hoping you got some great ideas to teach BEAT, RHYTHM, AB FORM and CREATIVE MOVEMENT using these favorite patriotic music and movement activities in your classroom.

Thanks for reading! Let’s keep kids learning and moving with music.