“12345” Scarf Movement Activity and Music Lesson for Music Class

Here’s a fun scarf movement activity tutorial for “12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive”. It’s easy to follow along and you’ll learn the song and patterns quickly! I share how you can turn this into a complete music lesson with some warm up activities, steady beat movement, rhythmic movement and then how to the scarf movement. Keep reading to get the details and the freebie!

There’s a play along at the end of the video where I demonstrate the entire song. I hope you’ll watch the entire video!

KEEP READING to learn how to get your free lesson plan and the links to more fun materials!

“12345” SCARF MOVEMENT ACTIVITY AND MUSIC LESSON FOR MUSIC CLASS

The scarf movement activity video walks you through the entire lesson step by step. Whether you’re new to teaching scarf movement or just looking for a structured, student-friendly approach, this lesson is packed with fun, hands-on learning that will get kids moving and waving their scarves with confidence.

Head over to my YouTube channel to watch the full lesson breakdown!

SING THE SONG

You can find the song “12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive” on all your favorite music channels!

Here’s the LINK:

1-2-3-4-5 SONG LINK

What’s in the Lesson?

✅ Simple, engaging warm-ups in an ocean theme
✅ Fun call-and-response activities to reinforce steady beat and rhythm
✅ Two versions of scarf movement
✅ Teaching tips for the lesson steps
✅ A Free music and movement lesson with video for your classroom

Why You’ll Love It

Designed specifically for young students—no prior experience needed!
Uses a multi-sensory approach to keep kids engaged
Helps students become comfortable doing scarf movement in a fun and interactive way
Completely FREE—because I know how much teachers already invest in their classrooms!

Ready to check it out?

FREE SCARF MOVEMENT LESSON PLAN

Scarf Movement Lesson Plan

Title: Scarf Movement Fun for “1-2-3-4-5”.

Students will explore steady beat, Rhythms ta and ti-ti (Quarter and Eighth notes), and directional movement using scarves while singing along to “One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Once I Caught a Fish Alive.”

GET THE FULL LESSON PLAN WHEN YOU JOIN OUR FREEBIE GROUP

Here's a FREE scarf movement activity tutorial for "12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive" scarf song.

Lesson Structure:

1. Introduction (2-3 minutes)

Welcome students and introduce the activity.
Explain how scarves help with movement, coordination, and brain connections.
Demonstrate how to hold a scarf properly (lay it flat, pick up the edges).

2. Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Introduce an ocean theme.
Guide students through gentle scarf movements:
- Small waves: Slow, gentle side-to-side movements.
- Big waves: Larger, exaggerated arm movements.
- Jumping waves: Scarf bouncing up and down.
- Whale movement: Create a whale shape with the scarf and move it across the body.

3. Song Introduction (5 minutes)

Play or sing “One, Two, Three, Four, Five”.
Encourage children to wave their scarves freely as they listen.
Walk around and model simple movements but allow free exploration.

4. Beat and Rhythm Practice (5-7 minutes)

Have children sit and tap the steady beat with their scarves:
- Tap on the floor or in their hands in rhythm with the song.
Echo singing:
- Sing one phrase and have students repeat while bouncing their scarves.
- Focus on call-and-response to help with memorization.

5. Coordinated Movement with Song (7-10 minutes)

Teach specific movements for each lyric:
- Bouncing scarf on rhythm: “One, two, three, four, five…”
- Cross-body waves: “Why did you let him go?”
- Tiny shaking movement: “Because he bit my finger so!”
- Big waves again: “Which finger did he bite?”
- Point to the right: “The little finger on the right.”
Repeat several times, encouraging students to sing along.

6. Creative Movement Exploration (5-7 minutes)

Let students create their own scarf movements to match the story.
Prompt ideas: How would a fast fish move? How does a sleepy fish move?
Allow children to share their movements with the group.

7. Wrap-Up & Cool Down (3-5 minutes)

Slowly bring movements to a stop with calm, swaying motions.
Reflect: “What was your favorite movement today?”
Collect scarves and end with a brief goodbye song or transition to the next activity.

Assessment & Adaptations:

Observe if students can keep a steady beat.
Adjust movement complexity based on age group.
Use smaller motions for younger children and more complex cross-body movements for older children.
Encourage self-expression and creativity.

MORE MUSIC ACTIVITIES FOR “12345” SONG

Here’s a fun rhythm stick tutorial for “12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive”. It’s easy to follow along and you’ll learn the pattern quickly! And you’ll learn the pattern quickly! I share how you can turn this into a complete music lesson with some warm up activities and then how to teach the rhythm stick patterns too. There’s a play along at the end of the video where I demonstrate the entire song. LEARN MORE SING PLAY CREATE

Playing ukulele? Get this fun ukulele lesson for “12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive” for beginners. Learn and play the C, F, G7 and AM chords with this easy to follow along music lesson.

Just think! With this easy to use lesson plan, your students will have opportunities to practice the chords, the strumming pattern using a variety of materials like posters, flashcards, sheet music and presentations.

Get the RESOURCE TODAY!

Scarf movement activities are such a great way to introduce beat and rhythm to your students. They also encourage bi-lateral movement and eye hand coordination and fine and gross motor muscle development. Movement is a key component to classroom management strategy and high engagement.

WATCH THE SONG ON THE SING PLAY CREATE KIDS MUSIC CHANNEL

I’m hoping you’re students will enjoy and benefit from this scarf movement activity

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READ THE BLOG POST: Nursery Rhyme Music Lesson Tutorial with Instrument Activities

Hoping this post helps simplify your music teaching!

Let’s Move and Learn with Music!

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Here's a scarf movement activity tutorial for "12345 Once I Caught a Fish Alive" scarf song. Learn how to teach this complete music lesson activity in your classroom. Learn Today

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Meet Sandra

Hi there! I’m Sandra, one of the authors behind Sing Play Create. My goal is to provide teachers with interactive resources and activities to improve the effectiveness of their teaching and enhance student learning.