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Friday, July 9, 2010

Rhythm Bag Instrument #4

Finger Castanets!
Castanets are percussion instruments that are commonly made of hardwood, but for children the plastic ones work just fine.

My favorite finger castanet for children actually looks like a frog.
Most of my children love this castanet, although there are a few that are overly distracted by the face and eyeballs that move!

Finger castanets can be an excellent instrument to use to stimulate fine motor skills. Try these ideas:
1. Allow the child to pick a favorite castanet.
2. Hold your castanet between your thumb and pointer finger and click the castanet together. Ask the child to copy you.
2. Repeat with the thumb and middle finger, thumb and ring finger and thumb and pinky.
3. Hold your castanet in the palm of your hand and use all fingers to click the castanet. Try using separate fingers too.
4. Hold your castanet in the palm of your hand and use all the fingers of the opposite hand to click the castanet. Try using separate fingers too.
5. Take turns! Ask the child to pick a way to play the castanet and copy them!

For children that have difficulty holding and playing a finger castanet, try a castanet with a handle!

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