Musically Montessori Free Preschool Lesson VLOG: Let's All Sing "We're Going on a Lion Hunt"

PRESCHOOLERS IN MY MONTESSORI GROUPS LOVE REPETITIVE SONGS THAT REQUIRE THEIR PARTICIPATION.
"We're Going On a Lion Hunt" has always been one of their favorites!
You can get this FULL lesson for free at my "Musically Montessori" eCourse site. (or purchase the Full Lesson at my TpT Store.)
You'll find THE LINKS at the END of this post.

LET'S GO ON A LION HUNT!

Recently, I spent just about the entire season of Autumn taking care of my little grandchild who turned three during those months.

Every night, at bedtime, he would ask me to tell him a story. Then, he would have to have a song...too. You probably know that little routine: Child thinks: " Let's stretch out this cuddly time before going to sleep! A book, a story, a drink of water, gotta go to potty, oh...and please sing me a song!"

Over the weeks, my grandchild became very particular about the story and the song. For his younger years he had always asked for stories about Minnie Mouse or a cute little bunny, etc. And, his song request was always "Old MacDonald".

However, during these recent months, he had moved into his "big boy" bed and he wanted stories about lions, dinosaurs, and then about super heroes. He also wanted our night-time song to go along with the subject of the story!

When he heard "We're Going on a Lion Hunt" after our "Lion Story" he proceeded to ask for that song (rhyme) every night! That's when I remembered how much my Montessori groups had loved that song when I was a teacher in the classroom.

After weeks of the Lion Hunt, I began to get requests for going on a T-Rex Hunt...then a Pteranodon Hunt, and then even a Spiderman Hunt!

I hadn't realized how versatile this little rhyme could be!

I've prepared one of my quirky videos so you can hear how my version of the rhyme goes:

Magical Movement Company's YouTube Video:"Going on a Lion Hunt" with Carolyn from Musically Montessori eCourses

"We're Going on a Lion Hunt"

This repetitive rhyme is fun for Preschoolers and doesn't require a perfectly tuned singing voice. It is actually spoken in a steady, rhythmical way. Great for "first days" and great for "warming up" the group. (or even transition times!)

THE WORDS

~1. "We're going on a lion hunt,"

~2. "We're going on a lion hunt, to see if we can find one"

~3. "Stop...Look...and Listen..."

~4. "Ribbit!" (this is where the teacher makes a sound that a familiar animal would make, ex: frog, or bird, or cow, etc.)

~5. Everyone says: "No, that's a frog!" (or a bird, cow, snake, dog, cat etc.)

~6. Return to line 1 etc. of the rhyme (see above)

~ Repeat:

~1. "We're going on a lion hunt," etc... (continue with lines ~2, ~3...)

~4. (teacher makes another animal sound, as above, ex: bird)

~5. Everyone says "No, that's a bird!"

~6. Return to line 1 and proceed as above with a different animal sound

Repeat ~1 through ~6 as long as children are engaged (I suggest 5 or 6 animal sounds)

Finally...it's time for the animal sound to be a lion's roar!

Now, the children tap their knees quickly as if running back home!

THE ACTIONS

(to go along with the lines of the rhyme above)

~1. Pat alternating knees as if "walking"

~2. Continue patting motions

~3. "Stop"= hold hand up like a stop sign "Look"= make "binoculars" with fingers "Listen"= cup hand up to ear

~4. Make the motions to go along with the sound of the animal the Teacher is making

EXTENSIONS

(PDF Downloadable Templates are available at the links below)

+ Change the animal you are hunting for... (ex: "Bear", "T-Rex", or even "Spiderman" (he makes s swishing "web-making" sound)

+ Make up a "Drama Game": Provide pictures of various animals that you will include in the rhyme, then invite one child at a time to come up and pick a picture and make the sound of the animal pictured.

+ Substitute rhythm instruments (ex: Rhythm Sticks, maracas, tambourine, drum etc) for the sounds that the animals actually make. Use the pictures of animals and then assign an instrument to each picture. Children respond according to each instrument you play. TIP: a drum makes a good "roar" for the lion!

+ Set up an individualized Shelf Work for free play or work time: Place a plastic model of a lion, child-sized binoculars and a small selection of plastic animal models in a basket. One child hides the animals, then the other child uses the binoculars to "hunt" for the lion. They can sing the rhyme while they play!

+ Create a “Rebus” Story with this rhyme using pictures for the key words

+ Make Stick Puppets for dramatizing the Rhyme. On card stock print pictures (or outlines) of animals. Cut them out. Attach to craft sticks.

+ Include this activity in your Cultural Studies Unit featuring African Animals

GET YOUR FREE RESOURCES!

CLICK THIS LINK to access this Full Preview Lesson for FREE

Musically Montessori eCourses:

"Let's All Sing" 15-Day Challenge
****Click the link "1 free lesson is available"****