Darla Hanley's Music Room

Creative Teaching for Students of Today (& Tomorrow) PK-8

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Today’s Teaching Strategy: Zoo Animal Fun

(Movement via Dramatic Play)

Elementary (PK-1)

© 2025 Darla S. Hanley

This teaching strategy is all about pretending to be zoo animals as we roam around the room to reflect the music. It goes with a 2022 track titled “Elephant” by Blues and Gentlemen’s because of its harmonica playfulness, walking tempo—and title (lol).

This track is 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

Early childhood is the perfect time for our youngest students to be introduced to the sounds of music AND get to play. Our classrooms are HUGE exciting spaces in the eyes of a child—filled with invitations to sing, play, and move!

If we think about it, just about every waking minute of a young child’s world is filled with opportunities for learning. They are learning to see and be in the world around them. Additionally, they are developing vocabulary, feeling emotions, navigating societal expectations, etc., and (hopefully) learning how much fun it can be to go to music class!

As a young teacher I had the opportunity to work in a Saturday preschool music program—teaching a mommy-and-me style music class. When I think about that work, I realize I entered that first classroom with a VERY closed mindset. I thought I would be babysitting the children because they were too young to learn music!?! Oh man, was I wrong…

In those early days, I learned that the young students responded to music like it was a super power. They engaged with music and with whatever I asked of them—initially on their own terms, and then meeting mine. I also learned how exciting it was to set the scene for them to be in music class—and how important it was that I make the learning age- and developmentally-appropriate for them.

So what am I talking about? Remembering these 4 things to advance early childhood music instruction:

1. Pretend, Pretend, Pretend: Invite students to pretend to be XY and Z (lol)! The use of a verbal prompt having students “be” and “do” something offers a wide open landscape for us to create engaging (and fun) educational experiences. Ask young students to pretend to do things like:

   1. be animals (with movements and sounds);

   2. fly, soar, and/or swim;

   3. paint the sky with arms in the air or with scarves;

   4. peel a carrot with rhythm sticks (lol) alternating that move with tapping the steady beat; and

   5. sing into a toy microphone (because the mic gives them permission to take a turn).

2. Model: Show students what you are asking of them by demonstrating fully. If we demonstrate “half way” they will very likely give us “half way” (lol).

3. Encourage but do not Push: Sometimes students need time to observe and listen rather than jump right in. Accordingly, it’s essential for us to ask and invite rather than push or force participation. In my experience, young students will 100% join in—when they are ready.

4. Sing, Play, Move: This is SO obvious… right? In music class we need to have students do these 3 things every time they meet with us.

Today’s teaching strategy “Zoo Animal Fun” includes non-locomotor and locomotor exploration and wide open space for our youngest students to pretend, move, and be creative. I hope you give it a try! But first, let me remind you who I am:

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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.

• Today we are going to be zoo animals! We will pretend to be a giraffe, lion, and BIG elephant moving all around the room. Come along and do what I do! We’re going to pretend we are at the zoo!

• Play the recording of “Elephant” by Blues and Gentlemen’s, speak the “Let’s Go to the Zoo” chant, and lead non-locomotor and locomotor movements as the animals. Video provided to make it easy!

  • ProTIP: Start chanting and moving at 0.17 following the introduction.

  • ProTIP: Demonstrate non-locomotor movements first to inform students of what is being asked of them. This could even happen with students seated on the floor—leading to locomotor movement as the animals roam and move all around the room.

Materials/Set Up

Space for Movement

🎵 Blues and Gentleman’s "Elephant” Link to Track on Spotify

Video

Zoo Animal Fun

© 2025 Darla S. Hanley

Zoo, zoo, zoo, zoo, that place is so much fun,

It’s great to see all the animals there, and pretend to be each one!

Let’s all be a giraffe, giraffe, giraffe

Let’s move like a lion, lion, lion

How about an elephant, elephant, elephant

EXTEND the Learning:

• Invite students to pretend to be other zoo animals (e.g., Peacock strutting; Monkey swinging; Bear lumbering).

Learning Targets

• Movement

Learning Outcomes

1. Respond with dramatic play to explore beat and musical style

2. Create original interpretations

3. Perform non-locomotor and locomotor movements

Assessment

• Informal Observation/Formative Assessment

Thanks for checking this out. If you use this teaching strategy, be sure to leave a comment to let me know how it resonates with your students!