These cards are about 1" square. Bottle caps are even
better if you don't mind making room for them. The numbers
are 1-4.
Mom puts first finger on top of a "1" card. On a
rug, the card will tip, just as in Pick Up Sticks. The thumb
slides underneath.
If a child struggles with "finger on top, thumb on the
bottom," lower the bar at first for that detail. Praise
the accomplishment of using the right finger for the right
number, and the dexterity of using only one finger and the
thumb for the task. Time enough for "finger on top"
as skill grows.
Most kids reach with the right hand. Gently remind them to
use the violin hand. Another tack is simply to say, "your
bow hand did that just great. Now do the same with your violin
hand."
Gaby holds the 2 card with the second finger. Mom at first
helped her to rotate the wrist (elbow comes down and toward
the tummy) so she can see the number. This step will be hard
if the thumb starts on top of the card. Mom can help by turning
the card over so that rotating the wrist brings the number
into view. (With bottle caps, we don't have this problem.)
To make sure they remember this rotation step, make a big deal
out of saying "yup, it's a 2," or "hmmm, I think
it's a 2." Let them put their own creative spin on the
verbiage; when their hands are part of the act, dexterity will
improve. The freebie is that showmanship has its place in music.
Now Gaby has the 4 card. She's still at the first stages of
learning to hold the violin, but what a beautiful left hand
shape!
To pass the card to the next person, she turns her hand to
look like a duck. I could have said "rotate your wrist
the other way,"
but ducks are more fun. The
card travels from hand to hand around the circle, each player
taking the card "like a duck" and then rotating
the wrist to check out the number. The last person puts the
card face down on the floor.
The next person's turn begins with picking up the card.
For young children, seeing the face up numbers dwindle in
quantity helps their staying power, because it defines the
time limit of the game. They need that light at the end of
the tunnel, even if it's a fun tunnel.
To my delight, no one has yet demanded to know "who won."
At preschool and primary grade level, kids simply enjoy the
social skills of taking turns and being in the game. How refreshing!
The longer it takes them to wonder who won, the less I worry.
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Twinkle Rag –
a twinkle variation with a new twist on half of
the rhythm in Variations A and D. Same four sixteenth
notes in a ragtime setting
Daisy Daisy uses a
three four twist on "Mississippi without
the hot dog." The whole accompaniment is
open D and G. The song and bass line can be played
as a violin / 'cello duet or on the piano.
