Imaginative music and movement

• Floor space or open space outdoors
• Means to play music

This activity develops coordination and balance as your child will try to imagine and imitate the movement of a flower as it grows and blossoms.

Before you start, why don’t you look into some plants on the internet and how they grow? Or encourage your little one to water the plants in the house or garden. 

Following the initial discussion about plants and how they grow, here’s a more physical activity: 

• Have your child find an open space on the floor or ground.
• Ask your child to crouch into a ball (just like a seed).
• Then, ask your child to start “growing” like a flower. Rise up slowly and reach out with arms as if sprouting.

Encourage your child to try different plant “actions”: 

1. The wind blows: sway and wave arms
2. The plant gets thirsty: droop over forward
3. Nighttime comes: close arms like petals closing
4. The sun comes out: stretch arms upward
5. Winter comes: crumble to ground

Extend the learning: Why not listen to Vivalid’s Four Seasons most popular concerti and discuss with your little one about the different seasons. Can you hear the references to the different weather types in the music?

• Spring: Can you hear the charming twittering of birds? There is a brief flash of lighting but luckily the storm quickly goes away, just like April Showers!
• Summer: At first, the melody evokes a hot and sticky summer afternoon where you don’t want to do anything but sleep! But watch out! There is a fierce thunderstorm around the corner!
• Winter: Brrrr! The music here is icy cold. Can you hear the reference to the rushing winds, pittering of rain and chattering of teeth?
• Autumn: The music starts very happily because the farmers are celebrating the harvest with songs and dances!