If you teach young learners, you know that they love to move! In some classrooms, students need to move in a small space. You might have circle time with students standing on a spot. Your students might just stand beside their desks. This is a movement chant that you can do in ONE SPOT.
This chant comes from OUP’s Magic Time, Book One. There are just verbs–jump, run, hop, fly, stop. Once you and your students know the pattern, add your ideas. Here are some ideas: march, wiggle, twist, spin, stretch, bend, shake.
In Unit 10, students learned animal names. When they flip the page, the animals are moving. Here are the words to this simple chant.
Run, Run, Run
by Kathleen Kampa and Charles Vilina, Magic Time One
Jump! Jump! Run, run, run.
Jump! Jump! Run, run, run.
Jump! Jump! Run, run, run.
Jump! Jump! Stop!
The second time, substitute hop for the word jump.
Hop! Hop! Run, run, run. (3X)
Hop! Hop! Stop!
Last of all, substitute fly for the word hop.
Fly! Fly! Run, run, run. (3X)
Fly! Fly! Stop!
Students do all of the movements on their spot. When they say, Stop! they can make an interesting pose. Watch how my students create their own ideas.
We need to practice moving and stopping with our young learners. This develops their focus and self-control. Plus, it’s a fun activity for our little ones.
Here are my young learners in Tokyo, Japan. I placed the picture cards on the floor as a reminder of the order, similar to a rebus reading. This chant helps them practice their /r/ sound.
Songwriter Kathy Kampa is a passionate educator of young learners. She seeks to nurture children’s imaginations and spark creativity through fun and engaging activities. Kathy believes music and movement should be a part of every young child’s education.
Kathy uses a globally-minded and inquiry-based approach to teaching through which students develop 21st-century skills. She also supports the development of English language skills by creating songs, chants, and TPR/movement activities targeted to young learners’ needs. Kathy is an author and teacher-trainer with Oxford University Press. She is delighted to be teaching young learners in her hometown.
This chant comes from Magic Time 1, by Oxford University Press. Each lesson has a simple chant or song to practice the language. Many of these chants and songs invite children to move
For more fun and engaging songs that have been loved by many kids, check out these albums. Kathy’s songs for kids (Kathy Kampa’s Special Days and Holidays and Jump Jump Everyone) are available on iTunes, Spotify, and other streaming services.