Music and performing arts
Song show
Use picture cards to lead a short sing-and-move session with familiar nursery-rhyme openings. An adult models each action, supports participation and can offer a gesture, picture choice or quiet listening as an alternative, where appropriate.
Point to the picture and sing together. Follow the adult-led action prompt on the complete card.
Read the complete materialRead the material
Use picture cards to lead a short sing-and-move session with familiar nursery-rhyme openings. An adult models each action, supports participation and can offer a gesture, picture choice or quiet listening as an alternative, where appropriate.
Shared activity record. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
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For the adult: cut along the dashed lines. Then run a little song show: Show a card. Point to the picture. Sing the first line together. Do the action. Say the key words. Rhyme and song visual prompts 1 Cards 2 Show 3 Guide MUSIC AGES 3 TO 5 RHYMES AND SONGS Song show Pick a picture, sing the song, do the actions! ACT 1 1 2 3 TWINKLE, TWINKLE, LITTLE STAR Twinkle, twinkle, little star KEY WORDS star sky diamond ACTION Open and close your hands like twinkling stars. HUMPTY DUMPTY Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall KEY WORDS wall fall horses ACTION Sit a fist on your arm, then tumble it down on “fall”. INCY WINCY SPIDER Incy Wincy spider climbed up the water spout KEY WORDS spider spout rain ACTION Climb your fingers up, then wiggle them down for rain. SONG 1 SONG 2 SONG 3 Page 1 of 2
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My song show FINALE MY NAME Colour a star each time you sing a song. Rhyme and song visual prompts 1 Cards 2 Show 3 Guide MUSIC SONG SHOW More song cards BAA, BAA, BLACK SHEEP Baa, baa, black sheep, have you any wool? KEY WORDS sheep wool three bags ACTION Hold up three fingers for “three bags full”. HICKORY DICKORY DOCK Hickory, dickory, dock KEY WORDS mouse clock one ACTION Run your fingers up your arm. Clap once on “one”. FIVE LITTLE DUCKS Five little ducks went swimming one day KEY WORDS five ducks quack ACTION Show five fingers. Fold one down after each verse. SONG 4 SONG 5 SONG 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 Page 2 of 2
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Song show Teacher companion Music | Children aged 3 to 5 with an adult Use with the exact 2-page original file. Keep pupil or staff activity pages separate from this teacher companion. When to use it Use the cards for an adult-led music or transition activity with young children. Choose a few songs that are familiar to the group, show the matching picture and invite children to sing, move or watch. Keep actions comfortable and optional. Purpose Join a song with a picture, repeated words or a simple movement, and notice when the song begins and ends. Start here An adult cuts along the card edges and selects one familiar song. Show its picture, say the first line and agree a small movement children may copy or adapt. A teaching sequence 1. Use one card at a time. Point to its picture and invite children to sing the opening line together. 2. Model the action shown, such as opening and closing hands or moving fingers, and let children choose a smaller gesture or listen. 3. Repeat with another chosen card, pausing for children to anticipate a key word or action. 4. If using the song-show tracker, colour a star after singing a song; use it as a participation record, not a reward for vocal performance. Checking guidance Notice whether children can connect a picture or key word with the song and whether the movement is comfortable for them. Accept looking, listening, signing, humming or a small gesture as ways to take part. Ask whether each child had a meaningful choice about joining in. Look for a connection between the picture, opening cue and chosen action. Listening, humming, signing or a smaller movement can demonstrate participation; the tracker is not a vocal-quality score. Support Use picture cues, objects or a repeated refrain, and sing at a comfortable pace. Offer a seated movement, eye-gaze choice or listening role. Avoid asking children to perform alone; support children who communicate through gesture or augmentative communication. Take it further Invite children to choose an order for two cards, predict a repeated word or create a safe new movement for one song. They can draw a new picture prompt for a familiar rhyme without needing to sing aloud. Things to keep in mind No audio recording accompanies the activity. Nursery-rhyme wording and tune arrangements may have separate rights; check permissions for the exact version before wider distribution or performance. Review actions for each child’s mobility and comfort. Offer a non-movement role. Song show Teacher companion | Page 1
A teaching sequence
Join a song with a picture, repeated words or a simple movement, and notice when the song begins and ends.
Point to the picture and sing together. Follow the adult-led action prompt on the complete card.
Read the complete materialChoose and introduce a song card
Use one card at a time. Point to its picture and invite children to sing the opening line together.
Which picture and opening line identify the chosen song?
Point to the picture and sing together. Follow the adult-led action prompt on the complete card.
Read the complete materialModel an accessible action
Model the action shown, such as opening and closing hands or moving fingers, and let children choose a smaller gesture or listen.
Would the child prefer a small gesture, a listening role or the shown action?
Revisit a key word with another card
Repeat with another chosen card, pausing for children to anticipate a key word or action.
What word or action can children anticipate before the pause ends?
Record participation if using the tracker
If using the song-show tracker, colour a star after singing a song; use it as a participation record, not a reward for vocal performance.
Does the star record taking part without judging vocal performance?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Notice whether children can connect a picture or key word with the song and whether the movement is comfortable for them. Accept looking, listening, signing, humming or a small gesture as ways to take part. Ask whether each child had a meaningful choice about joining in. Look for a connection between the picture, opening cue and chosen action. Listening, humming, signing or a smaller movement can demonstrate participation; the tracker is not a vocal-quality score.
Give a little support
Use picture cues, objects or a repeated refrain, and sing at a comfortable pace. Offer a seated movement, eye-gaze choice or listening role. Avoid asking children to perform alone; support children who communicate through gesture or augmentative communication.
Take the idea further
Invite children to choose an order for two cards, predict a repeated word or create a safe new movement for one song. They can draw a new picture prompt for a familiar rhyme without needing to sing aloud.
Things to keep in mind
No audio recording accompanies the activity. Nursery-rhyme wording and tune arrangements may have separate rights; check permissions for the exact version before wider distribution or performance. Review actions for each child’s mobility and comfort. Offer a non-movement role.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.
Ideas for using this resource
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Marisol Delos Santos
I use stories, rhymes, songs and movement to give children different ways to hear and use English, working alongside the class teacher to connect language with the wider day.
Meet the creator
Thawatchai Rodphothong
I teach music and movement across early years groups and help plan activities that involve the whole body as well as listening.
Meet the creator
Shannon Doyle
I am an early years apprentice and am building confidence by connecting what I learn in training with what happens in the room.
Meet the creator
Nadia Haddad
I work as an early years practitioner and help communicate with families who are more comfortable in Arabic or French.
Meet the creator
Michaela Trott
Because I am not present every day, a short professional briefing helps me understand what routines are in place and which points I should follow up with the regular team.
Meet the creator
Planning List
The two-page song set for ages 3 to 5 gives an adult a routine: show a picture card, point, sing the first line, do an action and say key words. A “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” card links star, sky and diamond words to hand movements.
Steady Marker
The repeated sequence connects a visual cue, familiar song language and movement, with the goal of noticing when the song starts and ends. The adult guide makes the adult's role explicit.
Helpful Highlighter
Let a child watch or point before joining in, and offer the action without requiring singing. Repeat one key word or use the picture as a cue when the full line is difficult.
Quietly Curious
The cards support a short song routine but do not show that a child can recall or sing independently. Check that movements suit each child and use only the lyrics and audio permitted for the setting.