Thursday, April 2, 2015

April Showers Bring May Flowers

The inspiration for today's song came from a saying many of us hear each year in the spring:  April showers bring May flowers. 
I wrote this song a couple years ago, but it is still one of my go to songs to sing with young students in the spring. 



Here are the lyrics:

Chorus: April showers bring May flowers.  It is Spring.

Pitter patter raindrops I can hear, Pitter patter raindrops I can hear.
 (Chorus)
Wind is blowing, I can hear, Wind is blowing, I can hear.
 (Chorus)
Thunder clapping, I can hear, Thunder clapping, I can hear.
 (Chorus)

I love incorporating different instruments to make different sounds you can hear in a storm, but I specifically use the Remo hand drum with this song. 
With the hand drum, I ask students to walk their index and middle fingers across the drum to make pitter patter (raindrop) sounds. For the wind blowing, I ask students to rub the drum with a flat hand in a circular motion. (Many of them love this movement for its sensory feedback!) Lastly, for "thunder clapping," I ask students to beat the drum with a flat hand for a few beats.
(I, of course, give plenty of time and repeat the verses while the students are taking turns playing the different sounds in the song).

The students love this song and I really enjoy singing it with them each spring.  It's a great song to use with students who are working on turn taking, fine motor coordination, listening skills, and impulse control.  

What other songs do you love to sing with kids in the spring?
Thanks for stopping by and have a Happy Easter!