Skip to main content

Loading

+ + +

Looking to use No Touch Games in your General classroom?

While teaching this learning module you will cover multiple concepts including: Beat

No Touch Games

Start
Concepts(s):
Beat
Grades(s):
General
Extra Details +

Introduction

In this section, we’re including some fun games that can be done with no touching or singing in spaced/distanced classes.

I Like Spaghetti

Sevens

Can you keep a steady beat?

Categories

Name Game. (Get to know you game for younger students)

Heads or Tails

Scooby Finds the Beat

Bim Bam

Cup Game

Objectives

  • I can keep a steady beat
  • I can hear the phrases in music

I Like Spaghetti

Copy Link

Choose one person to go in the middle Hold both fists out. Your right fist goes over your neigbors fist.
Left fists don’t move. Right fists tap the neighbours fist to the beat.
On the words “Let’s eat it” - clap 3 x
on the words Yum yum yum yum yum yum - tap your belly (or rub)
On the words “Let’s make some” - clap 3x

Actions on the spoken words:
Criss Cross - left hand, then right crosses on your chest
spaghetti sauce - wipe safe
Criss Cross - left hand, then right crosses on your chest
I love that sauce! - wipe safe

On the word “freeze” the one in the middle tries to make one of the kids laugh.
The middle person is not allowed to touch her victim.
The middle person can move on to a different person if they can’t make their person laugh.

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Sevens

Copy Link

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pattern 1: pat pat pat pat pat pat pat 2x

Pattern 2: pat clap pat clap pat clap pat 2x

Pattern 3: pat clap snap pat clap snap pat 2x

Pattern 4: pat cross pat clap snap clap pat 2x

Pattern 3: pat clap snap pat clap snap pat 2x

Pattern 2: pat clap pat clap pat clap pat 2x

Pattern 1: pat pat pat pat pat pat pat 2x

When you get good, sing a nursery rhythm doing the pattern.

Artie Almeida does an activity with this on drums

Learn how to play the Sevens game!

Copy Link

Learn how to play the Sevens game!

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Play Sevens with Viennese Musical Clock

Copy Link

Play Sevens with Viennese Musical Clock

Stephanie Menefee made this video to share with her students and all of our Musicplay students and teachers.

Watch for one place where pattern changes ---- and have fun!

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Can you keep a steady beat?

Copy Link

Can you keep a steady beat?

Have your students make a circle a safe distance apart.

Each student will in turn say one beat of the words, "Can you keep a steady beat?"
The 8th student will tap shoulders indicating a rest.

student 1: Can
student 2: you
student 3: keep
student 4: a
student 5: stea -
student 6: dy
student 7: beat
student 8: tap shoulders

All stand and start the pattern.
If any students misses saying the word on their beat, they go out and sit down.
Continue until there is one left.

Challenge 1: replace a word with body percussion. For example, stamp on the word "keep" instead of saying it.

Go faster.
Change direction.

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Categories

Copy Link
Song Used: Categories

Categories is in Musicplay 4, and can be used (when singing is allowed) for teaching so-mi.

The leader sings or says the song, accompanying it with this ostinato: pat pat clap clap (younger version) or pat pat snap snap (upper elementary)

The leader chooses a category: colors, sports, cars, chocolate bars, cities, countries, composers, instruments, names of songs, etc.

Each student in turn says one thing from that category.

No repeats are allowed. If there's a repeat it's an "out" and the game starts over with a new category.

Listen to the song "Categories"

Copy Link

Listen to the song "Categories"

The note highlights show how the notes go higher and lower.

When you get to the solfa part, hand sign the so and mi and "think" the sound in your head.

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Watch the demo of how "Categories" is played

Copy Link

Watch the demo of how "Categories" is played

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Name Game

Copy Link

Concentration Circle Game

In this game, seat your students in a circle, safely distranced.
Decide on a direction - clockwise(to leaders left) or counter-clockwise. (to leaders right.)
Everyone pats the beat: pat pat palm-up palm-up
Leader goes pat-pat then says their name (with palm-up palm-up)
All go pat - pat, then the student to the rightsays their name (with palm-up palm-up)
Continue without pausing (we hope!) until you get back to the leader.

Variations - say your favorite color
- say your favorite sport
- say your favorite Halloween treat

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Heads or Tails

Copy Link

In this game, the teacher rolls a dice.
The dice has 2-3 quarter notes, 2-3 pairs of 8th notes, and 1 rest.

Players have to predict or guess what the dice will roll.
If they think it will be a quarter note (ta) they put their hands on their head.
If they think it will be a pair of 8th notes (ti-ti) they put their hands on their bottoms.

The teacher rolls the dice. Those students who guessed correctly stay in the game.
Those who were wrong, sit down.
If you roll a rest, everyone is back in the game.

If you keep track of the notes you've rolled, you could create and perform the rhythm.

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Scooby Finds the Beat

Copy Link

Scooby Finds the Beat

In this game, choose one student to be "Scooby." This student hides their eyes.

Choose another student to be the beat leader. The beat leader can keep a beat by clapping, patting, tapping or stamping - or any movement they choose. The beat leader will change the way they keep the beat without "Scooby" figuring out who is leading.

Give "Scooby" a minute to watch all the students keeping the beat, then guess who was the leader.
Give "Scooby" three guesses.

Choose a new "Scooby" and a new leader.

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Bim Bam clap game

Copy Link

Bim Bam clap game

In normal times, this would be a clap game with a partner.

To adapt for distanced classrooms, the teacher is the partner with everyone.

You do the pattern, but do it alone - not with a partner.

Read the words. The way the game will be played is:
Bim - clap own hands
Bam - clap partners hands ( so just motion hands ahead)
Biribiri - pat 4x on thights

Alternate version of Bim Bam

Copy Link

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Watch the kids demo of "Bim Bam"

Copy Link

Watch the kids demo of "Bim Bam"

When you play in a distanced or spaced classroom, the teacher will be the partner of everyone in the room.

(The students will do the clap pattern, but won't do it with a partner)

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Bim Bam Accompaniment Track

Copy Link

Cup Game with Backporch Blues

Copy Link

Cup Game with Backporch Blues

The music for this game is in two sections: A and B.

A section: Teach this pattern on the cups
clap clap ti-ti ta, clap pickup pass.
(except in distanced classes, we're not passing, so clap-pickup-set down)
The music is in a swing style, so swing the 8th notes.

Do the whole song with that pattern.

Then, invite students to create new cup patterns, and try out their cup patterns on the B section.

Video not working? Try a different video source.

Try your new patterns with the music

Copy Link
Song Used: Backporch Blues – Short

Try your new patterns with the music

You can do cup games with any piece of music that's in 4/4 meter with regular phrases.

Try some of the cup games in Listen 3-4-5!

Exit Fullscreen