When it’s cold outside, it’s good to get moving! And a snow scale song is a great way to move our voices, hands, and bodies when there is a chill in the air. Who doesn’t love a good scale song? They are easy to teach and fun to sing. Scale songs are ideal for kindergartens – 2nd graders as these older preschoolers and younger grade schoolers are learning to differentiate pitches. As you sing, use both hands to melody shape so the children can “see” the pitches going up and then going down. Move slowly as the children match pitch and when they are matching the tones well, you can speed up. You can play a melodic instrument to reinforce the upward and downward scale movement; try step bells, resonator bells, a xylophone, or a keyboard to support the movement. To create a kinesthetic experience, instruct the children to swat low on the lowest note of the scale song slowly moving body steadily upward as the notes ascend and finally coming to a standing position by the end of the ascending scale. Of course, reverse those same movements as you descend the scale.
Families enjoy scale songs because they are easy to sing any time and anywhere. Advancing piano students can play and sing scales songs as they enhance their scale abilities. Music teachers always need to have a scale song ready to teach melodic movement as well as have a little “happy” song in the hole.
