The Drums Alive Chant

Enhance Your Brain’s Executive Function through this fun and engaging activity! 

The Drums Alive Chant is a great poly-rhythmical activity that combines speech patterning, rhythmic sequencing and body movement. Practice the speech pattern first, then “layer” the clapping pattern to the speech pattern, then “layer” the step-touch right and left movement pattern, then put them all together. Practice this until you can do it with confidence and ease.

For an advanced challenge, add the poly-rhythmical adaptation. The speech and clapping patterns will remain at the same tempo and the step-touch right and left movement pattern will be slowed to half-tempo.

The Drums Alive Chant can be adapted for all ability levels. Adaptations include:

• slow it down
• use only one pattern (e.g. speech pattern only)
• use only parts of the clapping pattern (e.g. slap thighs only)
• use only parts of the speech pattern (e.g. say only “Hello Everybody…”)
• use only simple movement patterns (e.g. bounce in place or march in place)

Use your imagination and creativity–create your own speech pattern or clapping pattern or movement pattern! Have your students offer their creative ideas!