Bean Bag Singing Game: This Leg, That Leg

At the Florida Music Educators Association (FMEA) conference this year, I had the pleasure to meet the incredible Dr. Artie Almeida in person. This activity I am sharing with you all is an adaption of a bean bag singing game that she created. Although Dr. Almeida's musical intention was So and Mi, I adapted the melody to make it accessible to the upper elementary students. Needless to say, it was a big hit with my students!

I started by singing the melody and demonstrating the bean bag toss pattern. Then, I demonstrated how the activity should look with a student volunteer. Next, the class broke off into partnerships, scattered around the classroom and facing their partner in a seated position. It is very important that your students have space to move back during this activity.
I gave the students a few practice repetitions of the song and game to get the class warmed up, then I added the fun challenge. After every two or three repetitions, I ask the students to scoot back one space away from their partner, creating a greater distance for tossing the bean bag.
After it becomes too difficult to toss the bean bags to their partners, I close the game by having students little by little scoot closer towards their partner. The game should end when students end up back where they started, face to face with their partner.

This is a very fun game that your students will be begging to play again. I know my students did!

I have provided a video example to demonstrate the bean bag toss game as well as the melody to the song. Huge thank you to Dr. Aleimda for inspiring me to adapt this activity and make it my own!