The Rug

Because I was the queen of last minute singing time's, I took upon myself the challenge of creating activities out of whatever I would find around the house, at the $1 store, in clearance bins, and at DI.  This is one of my favorite activities, and I'm quite frankly surprised that I haven't posted it yet!  Every time I dig in my bins (yes, there are multiple bins, much to my son's dismay as they are all stored in his closet!), I find things that I used all the time and some that I never even got around to using.  It's like a treasure hunt every time!

Anyhoo, meet The Rug.  I got it on clearance at the Target Dollar Spot after Valentine's Day a couple of years ago.  I have noticed since then that they have little rugs for just about every holiday, so depending on your mood and budget and bin situation, you could theoretically have a rug for all seasons.  Here is how to use The Rug...

Place The Rug on the floor.  Invite a group of children to come to the front (this idea is actually a perfect activity for small primaries).  As a song is played/sung, have the children walk in a circle, stepping on The Rug once in a rotation.  Here come the variations.

Variation 1:  Similar to musical chairs, have your pianist randomly stop playing.  The child standing on The Rug has to say or sing the next line.

Variation 2:  When the song is over, the child on The Rug chooses an action or Fun Way to Sing for the next section of the song.

Variation 3:  When the music stops, the child on The Rug is "out" or placed on a special team - then it's a contest of who knows the song better - the kids in the circle, or the kids that are "out."

Other uses of The Rug could be having your special helper stand on it while they're helping you; if you're standing on The Rug the kids have to sing, if you move they hum; stand on The Rug and tell them the better they sing the more you tip - they have to try and tip you off.

There's a million ways to use The Rug.  It's a fun and simple prop that you can pull out whenever, and they'll love it.  Keep it in the closet...it's worth it!

What would you do with The Rug?