Submitted by Kristin Lukow, Nebraska
Idea posted May 13, 2003
I tried a new game with my first graders that really helped them to sing rounds. I did it on the spur of the moment and called it Capture!
I have the children stand in a circle to sing. We start with "Frere Jacques," which they know well. I sing it with them the first time for review. Then, I have them sing by themselves as I walk around the inside of the circle watching them... not singing. We sing it again, and I tell them I will sing another song! They need to be very strong singers to be safe. I will sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." If I catch them singing with me, I capture them and they join my team. If they join my team, they come to the center, we form our own circle and sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." The new team joins me in singing and enjoys seeing if they can get the other children to join us!! Pretty soon, I have two even circles!
It was amazing! At first, some wanted to join me so they could sing with me, but at the end I gave a jelly bean to all those who kept singing their part, and that changed their minds. Now... they want to play capture all the time and are very proud that they can sing independently of me!