3. What Kind of Bird are You?: A Peter and the Wolf Sneak Peek
Today we’re sharing a tiny peek into one of our very favorite classical pieces, Peter and the Wolf! We will meet the bird and the duck and learn about the flute and the oboe (the instruments that represent those animals in Peter and the Wolf.
We’ve got a free printable to accompany this episode, grab it here: www.clapforclassics.com/episode3
From Up in My Tree: This is a song about a bird, inspired by the bird from Peter and the Wolf. From up in my tree tree tree (ring ring)
Oh what do I see see see? (Ring Ring)
I see a squirrel squirrel squirrel (ring ring)
It makes me go tweet tweet tweet
How to extend/adapt this activity: Talk more about the bird’s perspective from up high in the tree. Sing this song with other ideas of what the bird might be seeing. Talk about the concept of high and low - make high tweeting/chirping bird sounds, then talk about which animals make low sounds.
What your child is learning: Impulse control, active listening, observation, musical concept of pitch (high and low)
Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack
Quack quack quack quack (quack or clap hands with a partner)
Waddle waddle waddle
Quack quack quack quack
Waddle to the pond
Quack quack quack quack
Dive into the water
Quack quack quack quack
Paddle all day long
Quack quack quack quack
Paddle very quickly
Quack quack quack quack
Paddle very slowly
Quack quack quack quack
Now I’m getting hungry
Quack quack quack quack
Dive down for a treat
Quack quack quack quack
Nibble nibble nibble
Quack quack quack quack
Now I’ll go to sleep
How to extend/adapt: Have your child move around the room a bit more -- start outside the “pond”, then dive in. Hop out of the pond at the end to snuggle up on the shore for bedtime. For babies: use the “quack quack quack quack” refrain to clap their hands together on your lap, or their feet if they are lying down on their back. Paddle their legs, and give them a tickle or a raspberry on their belly when it’s time to “nibble”
What your child is learning: Motor skills, concept of fast and slow, sequencing
After meeting the bird and duck and singing songs about them, we listen to the part in Peter and the Wolf where the two animals meet and tease each other. We enjoy identifying the different instruments and then sing a simple little song pretending to be either the bird or the duck.
What kind of bird are you if you can’t fly?
Said the bird to the swimming duck.
What kind of bird are you if you can’t swim?
Said the duck as she dived in the pond!
How to extend/adapt: Discuss the concept of teasing -- when is it ok, when is it not ok? How should you handle it if someone teases you? How should we treat others whose abilities are different from ours? Do some pretend play with your child -- one of you pretends to be the bird, and the other pretends to be the duck, possibly using puppets. What happens next, after the song is over? Role play the way you’d like to handle “teasing” in your family. Discuss and categorize other birds that fly, birds that swim, and birds that do both. Learn about the special features swimming birds have, that flying birds do not have.
Here’s a nice YouTube video by FreeSchool introducing many birds, and basic facts: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/
Check out the National Geographic Kids page on birds: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/
Print, cut and prepare the bird and duck images and instrument images from the free printable found here: www.clapforclassics.com/episode3
What your child is learning: Instrument identification, communication, kindness
To watch a little introduction to Peter and the Wolf video that includes the “From Up in My Tree,” go to www.clapforclassics.com/blog/peter
If you’d like to see all of our Peter and the Wolf songs and activities for little ones ages 2-6, you can purchase our Peter and the Wolf course bundle. Find it at www.clapforclassics.com/store
OR, join our All Access Membership for access to ALL of the musical content we’ve ever created for little ones at www.clapforclassics.com/join
Special thanks to classical.com for licensing the classical music that we use on this podcast.
