After a cold, wet January learning about the water cycle, we've plunged straight into the sea this February at Bangers & Smash!
Photo by Sime Basioli on Unsplash
Starting each session with Baby Beluga by Raffi, we've listened to and imitated the sound of a beluga whale swimming with its mummy. The children have enjoyed learning actions to this beautiful song and repeating them every week.
We've also looked at the ocean drum (below), a large, flat drum containing ball bearings, which makes the sound of waves. The children have taken it in turns to tip the drum from side to side and to watch the ball bearings roll slowly over the fish and crabs pictured inside.
The main part of our sessions has been devoted to songs about the sea. We've used a large blue cloth to represent water and stretched it out so that everyone can hold on to the edge. We've created ripples by moving the cloth gently and waves by lifting it up and down. We've also bounced brightly coloured fish and sea creatures on the cloth and had fun making sure they don't fall off! Teachers and children have shared songs they know about the sea and we've repeated these each week.
Some of the songs we've sung are:
A Sailor Went To Sea, Sea, Sea
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Once I Caught A Fish Alive
You Shall Have A Fishy On A Little Dishy
The Big Ship Sails On The Alley, Alley-Oh
With this last song, the children have loved hiding under the cloth during the final verse ('We all dip our heads in the deep blue sea') while the teachers waft it over their heads.