Activity: Drumming

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World Drumming and Guides!!!

Why drum with the girls?

  • Great introduction into different cultures
  • African, Aboriginal, Maori, Native, etc.
    • Symbols of circles, drums, histories, etc.
  • Unique way of having music in the unit WITHOUT singing!
  • You don’t need to read music or be a musician
  • Girls who tend to hate the “sitting to sing” sessions may like the movement that drumming provides

I don’t have drums!

  • Use recyclable materials (recycling night activity?)
    • Paint Cans, ice cream pails
    • Bottles for shakers (fill with popcorn)
    • Pringles rainsticks*
    • Pencils for drumsticks
    • Etc… let your mind go crazy!

We have “drums”… now what?

  • 2 different strokes for the drum
    • “High” or half hand
      • Use the fleshy part of knuckles and strike side of drum face
    • “Low” or full hand
      • Use flat palm of hand in the centre of drum face
    • When striking the drum, pretend to “bounce” your hand – do not let it rest on the drum between hits
  • Warm-up
    • Alternate hands, hit a steady, “walking beat”
      • Alternate hands like you would alternate your feet walking!
    • Use high and low strikes

Different Activities with the Drums

What’s your name? (Sp, Br)

What’s for dinner? (Gd, Pf, R)

  1. The leader of the circle starts with “What’s for Dinner?” (strike on syllables)
  2. Each drummer will respond one at a time (striking on syllables)
  3. Always go back to the leader for the “What’s for dinner?” in between
  • This is a great warm up for anyone self-conscious about doing rhythms “solo”

Yabba-dabba-dabba-do game

  1. Everyone does the “yabba-dabba-dabba-do” rhythm, over and over (strike drum on syllables)
  2. The Leader will interrupt with “this is a universal break” (strike drum on syllables)
  3. Everyone stops the rhythms and yells, “HEY HEY HEY”
    • First time, clap hands with HEY HEY HEY
    • Second, high five to both neighbours HEY HEY HEY
    • Third, thumbs over the shoulders HEY HEY HEY
    • Fourth time, stop
  4. Each repetition is to get faster and faster… zoom!
The most important thing is to have fun! Sing with the drums if you want to, make up games! There is NO wrong way if you’re smiling!