Learning about YOUR Skeleton



I always like to do some body awareness for my kids at this time of year when skeletons are hanging all over the place.  When my kids realized that they have skeletons and that they are the part of their body that made it so they could move they weren't so scary :)

Below are some movies and activities that I have used in the past to help them to experience and learn about the bones in their bodies

This little movie will get you started at looking at where your bones are:



If you want to learn the "real" names of the bones, my niece sings a song with the different bones ( to the tune of Macarena) that will help you can learn some of the real names of the bones.  Click Here and it will take you to the movie.  She doesn't point to each bone in the movie--but you can while you sing it!

This next music piece (In the Hall of the Mountain King) is fun to dance to at this time of year.  The first part of the music is so quiet that you can hardly hear it.  Start with everyone in a circle and tip toe your skeletons around as close to the ground as you can.  As the music grows louder and faster you can grow taller and walk faster and faster around the circle.
Kids LOVE this game and it's a great way to teach about dynamics and tempo in music as well as a fun way to explore the idea of their bones moving while they dance/run around.

In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg (from Peer Gynt).   

This is a famous classical piece about skeletons dancing around.  What kinds of shapes can you make with your skeletons while you dance around?
Dance Macabre by Saint-Saens, a french composer:
 

Some other Fun songs for learning about bones:
Use the hokey pokey with the names of the bone instead.

("You put your right phalanges in...")

or

Use the "Head, shoulders, knees, and toes" song:

(Skull, clavicle, patella, tarsals, patella tarsals, patella, tarsals....)


This is a fun dress up activity.  What covers your bones?

Have fun using your skeleton ;)

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