Darla Hanley's Music Room
Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8
Today’s Teaching Strategy: Bounce and Stretch
(Copycat Movement Game)
Lower Elementary (PreK and K)
© 2025 Darla S. Hanley
This teaching strategy is all about being a copycat, internalizing beat, and slowing down. It goes with Cullen Vance’s 2024 track titled “Mouse in the Kitchen” because of its instrumentation, musicality, and playfulness AND with Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Air on a G String” for its timeless beauty and l-o-n-g lines.
These tracks are available on multiple streaming audio platforms. (Like many of my teaching strategies, you should feel free to find other audio tracks to anchor the learning experience using music that works in your setting or new tracks to simply “mix it up.”)
Pedagogical Foundations
Young children naturally respond to music. Watch what happens when a 2- or 3-year-old hears compelling music… She stands in place and bends her knees to bounce to the sounds! No one has to tell her what to do; she feels it and jumps right in. This teaching strategy is designed to build on that natural response by inviting children to “bounce to the beat” of a selected track using scarves. It is also designed to use the scarves to engage children to physically connect with music at a very slow tempo. This type of movement is called “sustained movement” because the goal is to keep moving—stretching and flowing in a non-stop and super fluid manner.
So let’s talk about the music choices for a minute. My mentor, Dr. Edwin Gordon, always emphasized the quality and variety of musical examples for young children. He taught me to deeply consider the music I share with children (and anyone actually) to be sure it shines as a good example of melody, harmony, rhythm, intonation, blend, and artistic nuance. We all know what we know because we were introduced to XY and Z, right? It’s the same with music for students—and as music teachers it’s our responsibility to select a wide menu of musical examples across styles, genres, instrumentations, artists, etc. for students to experience.
Okay, so let me get back to the movement… In my view something magical happens when the scarves come out in music class (lol). Scarves are colorful, lightweight, and float when they are thrown in the air. They can swish and swirl, move in circles—and bounce. Additionally, for a very young child, they are HUGE in size, which makes them even more interesting and fun. Pedagogically, the game changes when props come out (lol). Props add the “unexpected” to a learning experience and prompt new ways to engage.
In this teaching strategy, we are leading children to move their scarves—but the truth is we want them to move their body to feel and internalize beat and sustained movements (long and slow). The scarves provide a focus and reason to bounce and stretch!
Okay, who am I, and how does this work?
Hi! I’m Darla, an experienced PK-12 music educator, college professor, and former Berklee College of Music Dean looking to connect with teachers, parents/caregivers, and others seeking to advance creative music making for today’s students—and their teachers. In Darla Hanley’s Music Room you will find teaching strategies, advice and teaching tips, playlists, and more.
Distribute 2 scarves to each child (1 in each hand).
Play the recording of “Mouse in the Kitchen” and invite the children to “do what you do” as you bend your knees and bounce in place—alternating between a straight up-and-down bounce, with a bounce that incorporates swinging hips. Experiment with new ways to bounce with the scarves and lead the children to move along.
Informally begin chanting “Scarves Bounce” as you lead the children to move their scarves with the track.
ProTIP: Young children will follow your lead. The point here is not for them to recite the chant; rather it’s an opportunity for us to use language as another reinforcement of the movement expectations. It’s simply a “bonus” if they chant any of the text here.
Scarves Bounce
© 2025 Darla S. Hanley
Scarves bounce bounce bounce like a ball
Scarves bounce bounce bounce fun for all!
Now I want us to play a game, but with only 1 scarf! Toss one of your scarves in the air and watch it float to the floor. We can leave it there for this game.
I am going to play music that is v-e-r-y slow. We need to move our scarves to match the slow music. Watch me to know what to do.
Play the recording of “Air on a G String” by J.S. Bach and demonstrate sustained movement for the children to copy.
Informally begin chanting “Scarves Stretch” as you lead the children to move their scarves with the track.
ProTIP: Moving slowly is difficult for young children—and sometimes for adults (lol). Watch them to see if they are with you to know when to move on to something else to maintain their engagement.
ProTIP: Beyond the chant, reinforce slow movement by adding dramatic play: Pretend your scarves are slow turtles. Move your scarves like slow snails in the garden.
Scarves Stretch
© 2025 Darla S. Hanley
Slow slow slow slow
Scarves stretch high and then go low
Video
Materials/Set Up
Children standing in the general space where they can stretch their arms out without touching anyone or anything.
Scarves