Pumpkin Musical Movement Songs and Learning Games Activities
Fall is one of my favorite times of year and all the pumpkin love has gotten the creative juices flowing around here.
While I was working on this blog post, and had a pile of 75 balloon ball pieces on the cutting table, our almost 16 year old had this fabulous idea! “Mom, you should make a pumpkin balloon ball.”
So I did!
Pumpkin Songs for Movement Props
One song that works well with the stretchy band is found at Everything Preschool
Place a pumpkin or a picture of one in the middle of the circle.
Pocket full of nuts, (Stand still and move the band close to the pockets, as if you’re putting nuts in)
Leaves, leaves, (raise the band up and shake the band as if a tree was swaying)
They all fall down. (fall down to the ground with the leaves)
March around the pumpkin,
pocket full of nuts,
leaves, leaves,
they all fall down.
Stomp around the pumpkin,
pocket full of nuts,
leaves, leaves,
they all fall down.
Tip-toe around the pumpkin,
pocket full of nuts,
leaves, leaves,
they all fall down.
Jump around the pumpkin,
pocket full of nuts,
leaves, leaves,
they all fall down.
Here is a round up of some great songs to use with the stretchy band, streamers, pumpkin balloon ball, or real/paper pumpkin you’ve made.
- A get down and groovy “Pumpkin” Song by Ladybug Music
- “What’s Big and Orange” by Rachel Rambach
- The following five songs are all by Miss Carole of Macaroni Soup!
- “Pass the Pumpkin”
- “Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Round and Fat”
- “Oh Pumpkin Man”
- “Pumpkin, Pumpkin”
- “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie”
- Music with Mar “Five Little Pumpkins”
Pumpkin music and movement with the stretchy band, streamers, balloon ball, bean bags! Share on X
Pumpkin Bean Bag Toss
How fun is this? This post explains all how to make this great pumpkin bean bag toss. She used Fun-Kins, but one could use real pumpkins. You would want to make sure your bean bags are washable if you use real pumpkins! I love the leaf bean bags -how fun. I think I’ll add that to my sewing list for next year. We have both textured bean bags and square bean bags available.
We are giving away one pumpkin balloon ball and 9 hoop streamers with Halloween Themed ribbon! Prize will be awarded on Friday the 13!!!!
I would use this ball for my music class at a school for students with special needs. I do a ball toss with them where the students call out a peer’s name and pass the ball while music plays. When the music stops, whoever is holding the ball answers a question. This pumpkin would be a fun addition!
I want one! This pumpkin looks awesome! I’d use it for a passing game, kids sitting in a circle:
A F C F A A A
Roll that pumpkin round and round
G E C E G G G
Roll that pumpkin round and round
A F C F A A A
Roll that pumpkin round and round
C Bb A G F
Now it’s time to STOP!
v.2 Roll that pumpkin slowly now….
v.3 Roll that pumpkin faster now….
v.4 Roll that pumpkin ‘cross the floor…
Great prop, Janet!
“Miss Carole” Stephens
Macaroni Soup! Active Music for Kids!
This would be great for so many different activities. It would be awesome for playing “Pass the Pumpkin” and “Pumpkin Patch”.
I work with medically compromised children, most of whom are on ventilators. I would use the pumpkin ball in a session by putting it in the middle of a parachute and using it to a fall or Halloween song. This activity provides those that cannot use their arms a sensory experience, while the children who have use of arms will be provided with a gross motor activity.
You could use this pumpkin ball with the parachute and sing songs like Shake your Sillies out; A little bit up and A little bit down
The pumpkin ball looks fun to use as a prop in my therapeutic kids yoga classes at the JD McCarty Center this fall! Love all the ideas you shared. The SLP department is responsible for hosting the October birthday party for our inpatients every year so it’s fun to have some new ideas 🙂
I love this pumpkin ball! It is always fun to add some of these fall “novelty items” to my music therapy sessions. I might target improving social skills and increasing gross motor skills by prompting my group of little ones to pass the pumpkin ball around the circle to a “pass the pumpkin” song. I could also use the pumpkin to focus on signing/speaking the color “orange” and a stem that is “green”. So many possibilities!
So many great comments! I think I’ll have to make some more. If I don’t get it added this year, look for these next year for sure. Love to hear how the props we make will be used – it makes my heart smile.
Awesome pumpkin ball! I would use it in group sessions with the parachute. It would be perfect for “Jack-o-lantern Jump.” 🙂
I love your balloon balls! We like to use them for our Spanish classes. We sit in a circle and pass the ball around while we sing, “Pasa la pelota, pasa la pelota, pasa la pelota.” (Pass the ball.) When it stops we ask a child to remember one of the vocabulary words that we’re working on. Or, if it’s a new class, they have to say their name. There are LOTS of possibilities! For this particular pumpkin ball, I’d have them chant, “¿Calabaza, calabaza, calabaza, que pasa?” (Pumpkin, what’s up?) And then whoever has the ball would respond.
I have a pumpkin splat song I’d use to teach eye/hand coordination into a giant bucket or to learn to put things back into a bucket when they’re finished using it. 🙂
Jenny – you were randomly picked to win the first pumpkin balloon ball! You should have an email, just send me your ship to address.
My students would come up with lots of things to do with this pumpkin. We would need four more to act out one of our favorite Halloween chants, Five Little Pumpkins, and then we would use them throughout the month of November to talk about making pumpkin pie. We would use it to pass in a circle and then tell the group a favorite memory about either of the holidays. We could also bounce it on the gathering drum as an alternative to using our splash balls. Wow, the possibilities are just ENDLESS!
Great idea!
MJ
So many great ideas! What a fun prop. I’m not sure that I can come up with anything more than what’s already been said, but it makes me think of the Great Pumpkin Waltz from Charlie Brown. Perhaps on the parachute.
I have several pumpkin games and songs that this would be PERFECT! Pumpkin, Pumpkin. Who’s got the pumpkin?
So many ideas, such a short pumpkin season!
My students love when I use the Balloon Ball not inflated all the way… it makes it a lot easier for some of my students to grasp and pass! I feel like some serious brainstorming is in order… Would love to add this pumpkin to my little collection!