Vocal Exploration: Rhythmic Chants

Pedagogy
Warm-Ups

Vocal exploration is a powerful teaching/learning tool in singing lessons. These kid-friendly activities allow students to explore their voices without the “right” or “wrong” narrative. (Something that is often missing from voice instruction.)

This helps students find their singing confidence. Vocal exploration activities allow mindful teachers to offer highly productive singing lessons while assessing the student’s speaking and singing preferences.

Before You Start Vocalizing on Pitch

I love using rhythmic chants as part of my vocal exploration activities. Young beginner students can explore their speaking voice in addition to their singing voice. This is effective. There are many reasons to utilize a clever spoken exercise like a rhythmic chant:

to explore a more dynamic speaking range
an easy first-step activity before vocalizing
a first step for students developing pitch accuracy
an activity to focus on diction and expression without pitch
a tool for exploring rhythms/beat in the body
an activity for voices needing to rest/recover
as an ostinato part to assist singers learning to sing in harmony

There are many different chants for early elementary-aged students; feel free to use your favorites. Here are two of my go-to chants to add to your teaching toolbox.

Rhythmic Chants for Early Elementary Students

A Great Big Cat

A Great Big Cat is a traditional chant that is easy to learn, includes helpful gestures, and allows for exploration of the speaking range. Teachers can encourage students to expressively explore lower pitches (a great big cat) and higher pitches (a wee little mouse). This chant is delightful for exploring volumes, too.

A great big cat and a wee little mouse
Went round and round in a high, high house
But that wee little mouse got caught at last
‘Cause the great big cat ran around so fast!

Art Credit: Eve Farb

Gestures for A Great Big Cat

great big cat – speaking with a low voice, stretching arms out wide
wee little mouse – speaking with a high voice, hands come together
round and round – rolling motion with two fists
high, high house – speaking in a high voice or ascending in pitch, arms reach up.
wee little mouse – speaking with a high voice, hands close together
caught at last – pretend to catch the mouse
great big cat – speak with a low voice, stretch arms out wide
Ran around so fast! – speaking quickly, rolling motion with two fists