We’ve just posted our latest YouTube video and we think it’s the best one yet.  This month a real princess teaches your little ones how to make wishes come true!  All they need is a wish, a magic wand and this special wishing song.  For suggested games and activities, lyrics and EYFS and musical aims click ‘read more’ below.

Lyrics

Starlight, starbright.

First star I see tonight.

Wish I may, wish I might,

Have this wish I wish tonight.

EYFS Aims (based on performing the extended activities for pre-schoolers listed below):

1. PSED (MR), CL (LA) & UW (PC) – To learn each other’s names
2. PSED (MR) & (F/B) – To take turns
3. PSED (SC/SA) – To sing a solo
4. CL (LA) – To listen to other people sing solo
5. CL (U) – To learn and understand the rules of the game through repetition, trial and error
6. CL (S), EAD (BI) & PSED (SC/SC) – To think up an idea and communicate it clearly
7. CL (LA) & (S) – To encourage listening, attention and speech through the use of a prop
8. UW (PC) – To understand that everyone is different and has different dreams and likes
9. EAD (BI) – To act out making wishes

Musical Aims (based on performing the extended activities for pre-schoolers listed below):

1. To see and feel the pulse
2. To sing a solo
3. To sing in tune
4. To echo the melodic shape sung by the adult
5. To learn the form of the song and know when to sing as a group, when to listen and when to sing a solo
6. To experience call and response
7. To improvise words and melodies

Further Activities

Babies

Gently rock your child in time with the beat as you sing the song. This will relax your child and reinforce a sense of pulse in music. To your child your voice is the most beautiful in the world (even if you don’t think so) and hearing it will give your baby a feeling of security. Singing lullabies to your child in this way develops the carer-child relationship.

Group of toddlers

You walk around the inside of the circle and point to children to the pulse with your wand as you sing the song. At the end of the song you sing, “Child’s Name, what’s your wish?” to the child you pointed to last. They respond by singing or saying their wish. Everyone then says “One, two, three abracadabra!” and waves their imaginary wands to make the wish come true. Repeat the process choosing a different child.

Individual toddler

You and your toddler wave magic wands as you sing the special wishing song. You then sing “Child’s Name, what’s your wish.” The toddler sings or says their wish. You both then say “One, two, three abracadabra!” to make it come true.

Group of pre-schoolers

1. The children stand in a circle with the palm of one hand facing up. You walk around the inside of the circle and gently tap each child’s hand to the pulse with your wand as you sing the song with the children. At the end of the song you sing, “Child’s name, what’s your wish?” to the child you tapped last. They respond by singing their wish (copying the melody of the question you have just sung to them). If the child uses spoken voice or the incorrect melody to communicate their answer, demonstrate how to sing their answer correctly and ask them to try again (using their singing voice if they weren’t already). Everyone then says “One, two, three abracadabra!” and waves their imaginary wands to make the wish come true. Repeat the process choosing a different child each time.
2. (For more advanced groups) The children stand in a circle with the palm of one hand facing up. A volunteer (the ‘wish master’) walks around the inside of the circle and gently taps each child’s hand to the pulse with the wand as everyone sings the song. At the end of the song the volunteer sings, “Child’s Name, what’s your wish?” to the child they tapped last. The child sung to responds by singing their wish (copying the melody of the question sung to them). Everyone then says “One, two, three abracadabra!” and waves their imaginary wands to make the wish come true. The wish master returns to the circle and sits down (others are still standing so you can see they have had their turn). The child who just made their wish goes into the middle and becomes the next wish master. Repeat until everyone has had a turn of being the wish master and so everyone is sitting down except the final wish master who is standing in the middle. The original wish master stands up and the last wish master sings the question to them.
3. You become the wish master again and try asking the question using different melodic shapes. The children should attempt to imitate that melodic shape when answering your question.

Individual pre-schooler

Same as for individual toddler. You can also give the child a turn of being the wish master. To extend the activity you can try asking the question using a different melodic shape each time. Encourage the child to imitate the melodic shape used when answering the question. For more advanced pre-schoolers you can ask them to be the wish master and invent their own melody to use when singing the question. You should answer copying their melody.

Lots of love from Lucy Sparkles & Friends xxx