If You're Happy and You Know It and Schemas

How can you use music activities as an opportunity for children to explore the schemas that they enjoy? 

Let's take the well-known song 'If you're happy and you know it' to see how we can explore some of the main schemas:

Here are the words for the song including the well-known action clap your hands:

If you're happy and you know it.... clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're happy and you know it... clap your hands (clap clap)

If you're happy and you know it and you really want to show it

If you're happy and you know it... clap your hands (clap clap)

One way we can explore different schemas is to change the action/movement. Here are some examples:

 Trajectory:

If you're happy and you know it.... jump up and down (jump jump)

Rotation: 

If you're happy and you know it.... turn around (turn around on the spot)

Enveloping: 

If you're happy and you know it.... curl in a ball (move to the floor and curl up)

Connecting: 

If you're happy and you know it.... hold hands (in a group join hands)

Positioning: 

If you're happy and you know it.... put your hands in the air (put hands in different positions)

Orientation: 

If you're happy and you know it...touch your toes (looking upside down)

These are just some examples, I'm sure you can think of more.  If you would like to learn more about how you can use music activities to explore the main 8 schemas, please take a look at my online training course: Music and Schemas: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/music-and-schemas 

Happy music making!