Makin' music: songs, rhythm, and creative expression - includes related articles

Camping Magazine, May-June, 1996 by Terry Lieberstein

Music and kids go together, especially in a camp or recreational setting. Think about your campers cheering and singing at a morning assembly, greeting the day with joy and energy: Or on the field trip bus, riding along as they make up a new song to help the time go by. Or sitting at a campfire at the close of the day, sharing a song and swaying together to the music.

Music can be an effective and powerful element of your camp. It provides a wonderful way to create a positive and friendly atmosphere that allows everyone to join in. Music can be used in almost any camp situation to:

* help focus attention

* encourage group unity

* involve everyone

* allow creative self-expression.

Song leading

Song leading is a celebration of music and self. The tunefulness, words, rhythm, and technical stuff aren't nearly as important as the presentation. As with everything else we do with kids, the important ingredients in song leading are enthusiasm, commitment, energy, and a belief in the value of the activity. We are able to set aside our self-consciousness to wear crazy hats, perform silly skits, and participate in all sorts of zaniness to involve and delight campers. It's perfectly okay to make a fool of yourself. That's part of the fun of what we do; the campers aren't the only ones who get to be kids. And when you act silly, it gives everyone around you permission to do the same. Create a celebration of song, generate some energy and excitement, and watch the magic happen.

Some people have the mistaken idea that they can't sing. Sometime in the past, just before the holiday pageant, a teacher said, "Oh, dear, I want you to stand on the risers and move your mouth, but don't sing, okay?" The underlying message was, "You can't sing." Well, don't you believe it! Each of us has music inside. Before humans learned to speak, the earliest cultures probably raised their voices in joyous celebration. If you watch infants and children, you will find that they sing to themselves all the time. They make up words and tunes to entertain themselves and to express what they are thinking. All you need to do is open your mouth, put in the words and the enthusiasm, and sing out loud and clear.

Song styles

There are many different kinds of songs that can be sung with children, as well as many different approaches to working with music. Several song styles can be used to enhance your current music program, including cheers and chants, call and response songs, add-on songs, rounds, and topic songs.

Cheers and chants are often tuneless, making them easy to lead and to learn. Examples of cheers and chants include "Let Me See You Boo-ga-loo," also known as "Frankenstein," and "Boom-Chicka-Boom."

Call and response songs are songs in which the leader sings one line and the group sings that line back to the leader. This type of song is simple to lead and provides a surefire method of including everyone. "Sippin' Cider" and "The Bear Song," which are both sung to the same tune, are two examples of call and response.

An add-on song is exactly what it sounds like. You keep adding items, making the song longer and longer and longer and longer and longer and longer and... Examples include "The Green Grass Grows all Around" and "She'll be Comin' Around the Mountain."

Rounds are songs that are divided into several parts; the first group of singers sings part one, then the next group sings part one as the first group sings part two, and so on a "round" the groups. Common rounds include "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" and "One Bottle of Pop."

Special topic songs include nursery rhyme songs, such as "Out the Window," and food songs, such as "Fried Ham." Some songs were even written to be used as games, for example, "London Bridge," "Ring Around the Rosie," "Hokey-Pokey," and "Skip to my Lou." Many of these songs can be found on children's recordings or in music resource books.

Rhythm

Rhythm can provide a useful focus for music activities at camp. Rhythm is all around us. People have an internal rhythm that can be seen in the ways they walk and talk. The thump-thump of a basketball creates a rhythm; machines hum with their own cycles. Do a rhythm search with your group and see how many different rhythms you can find at your facility. Working with rhythm can inspire creativity and be entertaining for all.

The simplest rhythm instrument is your own body. You can make different sounds by clapping hands, snapping fingers, slapping the arms or legs, stomping feet, drumming the chest or stomach area, and sliding hands back and forth to make a brushing sound.

Rhythm instruments are easy and fun to create. Instruments can be made out of almost anything: sticks, rocks, cans, spoons, kitchen utensils, or pots and pans. The possibilities are endless. It's great fun to improvise some instruments and create an impromptu rhythm jam session. Tell the group that each person is going to make a rhythm instrument, using items found in the area. Allow 5 to 10 minutes for each person to create an instrument. Bring the group back together and let them start improvising to see what happens in a rhythm jam.