Some of my students are having difficulties with rhythm.  As I was drifting to sleep the other night, I came up with the PERFECT group lesson activity to help teach rhythm.  Alas, I don’t teach group lessons, so I’m trying to figure out how to adapt this to a private lesson.  If you teach group lessons, however, maybe you could try this and tell me if it’s really as PERFECT as I think it is!

Play “Rhythm Chairs,” the same as “Musical Chairs,” but with a metronome.

First, start with quarter notes.  Set the metronome to any speed and allow the children to take one step around the chairs per beat.  When you stop the metronome, they scramble to not be the last one standing.  The person who is left standing gets to set the speed of the metronome for the next round.  Move on to half notes, allowing one step for 2 beats.  Do whole notes, dotted half notes, eigth notes etc.

In my PERFECT vision, this helps the lightbulb go on in the students mind since they not only feel the rhythm in their bodies, they are also watching other people feel the rhythm, and moving together as a group.

Who knows?  It may be the worst idea ever and I will never know because I will never get to try it.  If you try it, do share how it worked for your students!