Puncinella

Here's a delightful singing game about that classical jester-character, Puncinella (Pulcinella). In this game the-one-who-is-it stands in the middle of the circle and the rest of the students stand or walk around the outside singing the song. Then the one in the middle performs some sort of action or movement that the rest imitate. Then the one in the middle chooses someone to be it by "taking a turn" (covering eyes, hand outstretched, turn in a circle).

Some extensions might include exploration of the Pulcinella character online, puppet shows or mini-plays with costumes, or class-created choreography to an excerpt from Stravinsky's neo-classical ballet, Pulcinella, accessed for free on YouTube or Grooveshark. What a fun way to develop an elementary and music curriculum. Fun is good. Play is okay.