Rhythm Sticks Games
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WHY?
Using rhythm sticks helps develop:
Fine motor development and hand-eye coordination
Language development and listening skills
Rhythm, beat, and tempo
Creative thinking and problem solving
Early brain development
Directionality (up, down, forwards, backwards, etc.)

1. Music – Hap Palmer  – Learning with Circles & Sticks
2. Over & Under - This is the first skill we introduce to Toddlers because it is easy for this age group to mirror the instructor.  Preschoolers and School Age children grasp this concept quicker.  ​  
   1. Children grasp Rhythm Sticks in an over grip
   2. On your command or music prompt
   3. Children start to tap sticks Right hand over Left hand

1. Kissing Sticks
   1. Children grasp Rhythm Sticks all three grips, over hand, under hand and mixed grip
   2. Children touch sticks end to end -side to side palms facing down
   3. Side to side with palms facing up
   4. One on top of another & alternate with a mixed grip

 
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1. Hammer the nail
   1. Children use one stick as a hammer and the other stick as a nail
   2. Children can use the right hand to hammer then switch to the left hand to hammer
   3. Option 1 - Children hold a stick on the floor in front of them and tap on the Rhythm Stick alternating from Right to Left
   4. Option 2 – Children hold a Rhythm Stick palms palms down with one hand
   5. They use the other Rhythm Stick to hammer the nail sideways. If the child can hold the Rhythm Stick loosely, the Rhythm Stick will move in the child’s hand from one side to the other. Now the

Then switch hands

1. Touch your toes (all body parts)

While sitting and Standing

1. Partners touching each-other’s arms legs etc.
2. Put the sticks to bed – you can have one cone per student or one cone for the class to share.
   1. Take turns putting the sticks in the cones.
   2. If you have a lot of sticks this game can go on until you run out of sticks.
3. Tap the sticks on the floor with and without songs or music

Soft - slow
Hard - fast

1. Fast, Medium & Slow

1. Tap sticks on different objects and things

Shoes, chairs, desk, pots & pans,

1. Tap high and tap low

Right side & Left side
In the front & in the back
Between the Legs, in front and in back
Between the legs on stick in front and one stick in back

1. Tap while marching or walking around the class room

Tap while moving back and forth & side to side

1. Pass the stick around from friend to friend
2. Try to pick objects up with the sticks like bean bags, hoops & scarves
3. Tap on different surfaces – wood, card board, rubber, carpet, pots and

     Pans, tubs and tables.

1. Use different objects to tap with, rules, wooden spoons, spatulas.
2. If you use multi-colored stick, try to match the colors up.

Tap the colors in combination

1. Teach music rhythm to your students.  Have them echo your pattern.
2. Partner tapping – should be age appropriate
   1. Tap each-others sticks – Right stick to right and left stick to left.
   2. Cross the midline – Right stick to left stick
3. Tap sticks to simple songs like Mary had a little lamb.
4. Tap stick to learn ABC’s
5. Tap stick to learn to count
6. Tap sticks to learn music rhythms
7. Tap stick to the rhythm of their names or name of animal or anything

you can think of.

1. Tap sticks while in different positions for balance and coordination, standing, sitting, kneeling, laying on their stomach or back, straddle stand or squat stand .
2. Tap stick while turning around in a circle – Right & Left