27+ Body Percussion Activities for kids (Printables + Reels)

Body percussion is a type of music making that involves using different body parts, such as your hands, feet, and chest, to create rhythmic sounds and beats.

It’s a unique way of making music without the use of traditional instruments, and it has a long history in many different cultures around the world.

Additionally, incorporating body percussion activities for kids can be both educational and entertaining. For example, you can engage children in fun chasing games where they clap, stomp, and snap to the rhythm, or teach them simple body percussion routines to popular songs.

Moreover, preschool kindness activities can include incorporating body percussion into group activities, fostering teamwork and cooperation while exploring rhythm and movement.

So, whether it’s stomping to the beat of a favorite song or creating rhythmic patterns with their hands, body percussion activities provide children with a creative outlet for musical expression while promoting physical coordination and cultural appreciation.

Body Percussion Activities for Kids

Body Percussion Bingo Card Activity (3-8 Years)

The Body Percussion Bingo Card Activity is an engaging and educational game that teaches children about rhythm and body awareness through music and movement.

Materials: Bingo cards with body percussion images or actions, scissors for cutting out the cards, a clear space for movement, and, optionally, a device to play music or a metronome.

How to Do:

1. Each child receives a bingo card with different body percussion images such as “clap”, “stomp”, “tap knees”.
2. As the leader calls out or demonstrates an action, the children perform the sound or movement.
3. They mark off each action on their bingo card as they complete it.
4. The first one to complete a row shouts “Bingo!” and can be awarded with a little performance to showcase their body percussion rhythm.
5. To make it more challenging, include music and have them match the beat or rhythm.

Body Percussion Tracing Activity (3-7 Years)

The Body Percussion Tracing Activity combines elements of music, rhythm, and fine motor skill development. It is a hands on way for children to connect physical actions with sounds and improve their coordination and listening skills.

Materials: Body Percussion Tracing worksheets, pencils or crayons, and optionally, a laminator for reusing the sheets.

How to Do:

1. Give your kid a worksheet featuring different body percussion illustrations such as “Rub Hands” or “Click Finger”. or Print out our printable.
2. The children trace over the dotted lines to practice writing and learn the names of the actions.
3. After tracing, they practice the actual body percussion movement associated with each picture.

Body Percussion Coloring Activity (3-5 Years)

The Body Percussion Coloring Activity is a good way to engage young children with the world of sound and rhythm through visual arts. It’s designed to improve their understanding of body movements and their associated sounds while sparking creativity.

Materials: Body Percussion Coloring worksheets and a set of colored pencils or crayons.

How to Do:

1. Give your child a coloring sheet with illustrations representing different body percussion sounds such as “Clap” or “Rub Hands”. or use our printable.
2. Your kid can color each illustration while discussing what sound each action makes.
3. After coloring, kids can practice making the sounds that correspond to their colored pictures.

Compose A Body Percussion Song Activity (4-8 Years)

The Compose A Body Percussion Song Activity is a fantastic, interactive way to introduce children to music composition and the idea of creating rhythms using their own bodies.

Materials: Body percussion cut out images, a grid poster or large sheet of paper, glue or tape.

How to Do:

1. Give your child the cut-out images illustrating various body percussion sounds like “Clap,” “Stomp,” or “Click Fingers.”
2. Explain the grid and how placing the images in different squares will create a sequence or pattern of sounds.
3. Allow the children to choose and arrange their cut-outs on the grid to form their own unique percussion sequence.
4. Once the sequences are complete, children can practice their new “song” by performing the actions in the order they’ve placed them.

Body Percussion Word Search Activity (4-8 Years)

This is the Body Percussion Word Search Activity, which is a perfect blend of language and music education.

Materials: Body Percussion Word Search sheets, pens or pencils.

How to Do:

1. Give your child a word search sheet and a pen or pencil.
2. Review the list of body percussion terms with the children to ensure they are familiar with the words they will be searching for.
3. Explain how a word search works, if necessary, and that words can be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and even backwards.
4. Allow the children time to search for and circle the body percussion words. They can work individually or in pairs for a collaborative approach.
5. As each word is found, children can perform the corresponding body percussion action, adding a kinetic aspect to the activity.

Body Percussion Puzzle Activity (4-8 Years)

This is the Body Percussion Puzzle Activity, which combines music, movement, and problem-solving skills.

Materials: Body Percussion Puzzle pieces and scissors.

How to Do:

1. Prepare the puzzle pieces by cutting along the dotted lines. Each piece should represent one body percussion sound (e.g., Foot Tap, Clap, Click Fingers, Rub Hands).
2. Scatter the pieces on a table or the floor.
3. Children must match the puzzle pieces correctly to form the pictures of body percussion actions.
4. Once the puzzles are completed, have the children perform the actions represented by the puzzles they’ve assembled.

Body Percussion Matching Activity (3-7 Years)

The Body Percussion Matching Activity is a fantastic way to engage children in learning about rhythm and coordination through body sounds.

Materials: Body Percussion Matching worksheet and a pencil.

How to Do:

1. Give your kids a worksheet that has images of different body percussion actions such as clapping, clicking fingers..etc..or you can print out our printable.
2. The aim is to match identical images by drawing lines between them.
3. You can time the activity for a competitive twist.
4. Once all the matches are made, kids can practice the body percussion sounds that correspond to the images they connected.

Body Percussion Counting Activity (3-6 Years)

The Body Percussion Counting Activity combines the concept of counting with the fun and element of body percussion.

Materials: Body Percussion Counting worksheet, a pencil, and an eraser.

How to Do:

1. Give your child a worksheet with various body percussion images and numbers.
2. The children will count the number of each body percussion symbol present on the sheet, such as claps, taps, clicks, etc.
3. They’ll write the correct number in the designated space next to each body percussion symbol.

Body Percussion Shadow Activity (3-7 Years)

The Body Percussion Shadow Activity is a creative and educational task designed to help children learn about body percussion and develop their visual discrimination skills.

Materials: Body Percussion Shadow worksheet with respective images and their corresponding shadows, scissors, and glue.

How to Do:

1. Give your child a worksheet containing various body percussion images, such as clapping hands, snapping fingers..etc, alongside their corresponding shadow images.
2. The task is to cut out the pictures and match each one with its correct shadow.
3. They can glue the matched pairs onto a separate piece of paper to create a complete set.
4. It’s an excellent way to improve cognitive skills like matching and pairing, while also promoting fine motor skills through cutting and pasting.

Clapping

Clapping is one of the most basic and standard body percussion techniques. You can change your claps’ rhythm, intensity, and location to create different patterns and sounds.

For example, you can clap your hands together, your thighs, or your hands against your chest.

Snapping

Snapping is another common body percussion technique that involves using your fingers to create a sharp, clicking sound.

When you try to snap, just place your thumb and middle finger together and quickly pull them apart.

You also have a choice, like you can alternate the pace and intensity of the snaps to create different sound patterns.

Stomping

Stomping is a powerful body percussion technique that involves hitting the ground with your feet to create a deep, booming sound.

You can fluctuate the rhythm and power of the stomps so that you can create different patterns and beats.

For example, you can stomp on the downbeat to develop a strong, driving rhythm or stamp on the offbeat to create a syncopated flow of sounds.

Chest Percussion

Chest percussion is a well-known technique that involves using your chest to create a thumping sound.

The proper way to do this is to hit your chest with your hands or use your voice to make a sound that resonates in your chest cavity.

Chest percussion can add a powerful and resonant element to your body percussion rhythms.

Vocal Percussion

Like the name, vocal percussion involves using your voice to create percussive sounds, such as beatboxing.

With beatboxing, you can create a wide range of sounds using your mouth and vocal cords, including snare drum sounds, bass drum sounds, and hi-hat sounds.

Vocal percussion can add a dynamic and versatile element to your body percussion performance.

Tapping and Slapping

Tapping and slapping involve using your fingers or hands to tap or slap different areas of your body, such as your thighs or arms.

These techniques can create a variety of sounds and rhythms. This rhythmic pattern can be combined with other body percussion techniques to add texture and complexity to your performances.

Combining Techniques

One of body percussion’s most exciting aspects is combining different techniques to create unique and complex beats.

By experimenting with different combinations of claps, snaps, stomps, and vocal percussion, you can create intricate and dynamic beats that are both challenging and rewarding to perform.

“We Will Rock You” 

“We Will Rock You” is a classic rock anthem perfect for body percussion activities. Kids can use their hands to clap, their feet to stomp, and their voices to chant along with the iconic rhythm of the song.

Start by teaching kids the simple rhythm of the music: two claps followed by two stomps. Once they have mastered this rhythm, you can add vocal chants like “We will, we will rock you!”

Encourage kids to experiment with different volumes and rhythms as they chant and clap along with the song.

Pat-A-Cake

“Pat-A-Cake” is a classic nursery rhyme for introducing young kids to body percussion. Begin by gathering the children in a circle and clapping your hands while reciting the verse: “Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.

Bake me a cake as fast as you can!” Encourage the children to participate by joining in with the clapping and recitation.

Once they have become comfortable with the basic rhythm, introduce additional body percussion techniques, like tapping their thighs or stamping their feet, to enhance the activity.

Stomp and Clap

“Stomp and Clap” is a fun and energetic body percussion song that is perfect for getting kids moving and grooving.

The song features a simple rhythm of claps and stomps, and kids can add in their vocal chants and dance moves to make it their own. Initiate by teaching kids the song’s rhythm: two claps followed by two stomps.

Then, please encourage them to add creative variations, such as changing the rhythm or adding vocal chants.

Body Percussion Symphony

Body Percussion Symphony is an engaging and stimulating activity that can aid in the development of children’s musical abilities and coordination.

Here, the kids can be grouped and assigned unique body percussion techniques, such as clapping, snapping, stomping, or vocal percussion. Each group can then be given a specific rhythm or pattern to practice until they can perform it with ease and precision.

Once they have mastered their respective techniques, all the groups can come together to perform their rhythms and patterns, resulting in a harmonious ensemble of body percussion sounds.

Body percussion with Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs Body Percussion combines body percussion and movement to make a fun twist on the classic game. Kids choose a body percussion sound in this game and move around a circle clockwise.

They freeze and perform a specific body percussion sound when the music stops. The last one to perform is out, and the game continues with a new sound and round of movement.

It’s an excellent way for kids to improve their rhythm and coordination while having fun.

The Cup Song

“The Cup Song” is a popular body percussion song that has become viral content in recent years.

The song incorporates a distinctive rhythm produced by tapping and slapping a cup, which can be accompanied by additional vocal and body percussion elements to generate a lively and individualized presentation.

To initiate the activity, teach the children the cup-tapping rhythm and then motivate them to include their own vocal chants, claps, and stomps to produce a more intricate and captivating performance.

Boomwhacker Body Percussion

“Boomwhackers” are colorful plastic tubes that can be used to create musical tones when struck against a surface.

In this body percussion activity, kids can use Boomwhackers to develop various musical styles and rhythms and then add body percussion techniques to create a fun and engaging performance.

Start the activity by giving each child a different colored Boomwhacker and assigning them a specific rhythm or pattern to play. 

The Rhythm Game

“The Rhythm Game” is a fun and interactive body percussion activity that challenges kids to create and perform different rhythms using their bodies.

Kick off the game by sitting in a circle with the kids and clapping out a simple beat. Then, go around the circle and have each child add in their own unique rhythm, building on the previous rhythm to create a longer and more complex performance.

Encourage kids to experiment with different body percussion techniques and collaborate to create a cohesive and engaging performance.

Body Percussion Jam Session

A “jam session” is a well-known music event where musicians gather to play and improvise music together.

Children can participate in a similar interactive activity by using their bodies as instruments to create a fun and engaging jam session.

To begin, the children can be divided into small groups, and each is given a different body percussion technique to experiment with, like clapping or stomping.

They can then collaborate and improvise with one another, utilizing their bodies to generate a distinct and lively performance.

Body Percussion Storytelling

Kids can use their bodies to tell a story through sound and movement in this body percussion activity. First, choose a simple story or nursery rhyme, such as “The Three Little Pigs” or “Jack and Jill.”

Then you shall encourage kids to use their bodies to create different sounds and movements representing other characters or actions in the story.

For example, they might use stomping to describe the sound of the big bad wolf or to clap to express the sound of the rain in “Jack and Jill.” This activity encourages creativity and imagination, as well as developing musical and storytelling skills in kids.

Name rhythms

Name rhythms are a fun way for kids to create rhythms and beats using their own names. Initiate by having the kids say their names out loud and then clap or stomp out the syllables.

For example, if their name is “Sarah,” they could clap twice for “Sa” and then stomp once for “rah.” You can then have the kids combine their name rhythms to create a group rhythm.

Body percussion call and response

Body percussion call and response is a fun and interactive way for kids to practice rhythm and timing.

You can begin by demonstrating a simple call-and-response pattern, such as clapping twice and then waiting for the kids to clap back once.

You can then shift the pattern by adding different body percussion sounds or changing the tempo. For added fun, you can have the kids take turns being the leader and coming up with their own call-and-response patterns.

Conclusion

Exploring “Body Percussion Activities for Kids” has been a rhythmic adventure! Did they capture the fun and creativity of making music with your body, or have you tapping and clapping with artistic delight? Share your feedback.

Your insights help our activity guide stay as engaging and captivating as the beat itself, with ideas that make learning rhythm a joyful experience for children! 🎶👏😄