How to Teach Children about Djembe Rhythms
Teaching Children
Facilitating the learning experience of drumming allows children to express their raw energy through facilitated rhythm and games, creating a fun group experience. The environment is relaxed but secure with structured African songs being shown.
How?
We teach the children basic drumming technique and enhance this with singing, percussion, dancing and also rhythm games for the younger children (Grade 0 to 2).
Each child is provided with an instrument to play and is shown step by step how to play a specific rhythm on the drum. Self-esteem is built and maintained throughout the class, which is structured with a beginning, middle and ending, interspersed with vocal communication windows to deliver instruction.
To teach a class one full song – drumming, bells and shakers, dun dun's (bass drums), vocal and dance – the students are required to attend at least one thirty minute lesson per week for 8 to ten weeks.
With the younger children we play rhythm games and also show them a basic drum rhythm and technique. The rhythm games and storytelling bring more fun to the little ones whilst they still have a fun learning experience.
What rhythm games do we play?
Hide and Seek
One child leaves the room, the others decide on a place to hide a given object (shaker for example). When the child returns, the others have to guide him/her with loud and soft rumbles to the given object. LOUD = NEAR, SOFT = FAR
Musical Drums .
Working around the same concept as Musical Chairs. Each child sits with a drum. When the facilitators play their drums, the children stand up and dance! Two drums are removed and when the music stops, they return to a drum. Children without a drum will be given another percussive instrument and be asked to join the band!
Simon Says
The group can only respond to a particular rhythm when “Simon Says”. (Call and Response)
Conductor
Each child has a turn to facilitate the group!
Pass the parcel (usually used at parties)
Children sit in a circle and pass the parcel and shakers while the facilitators play their drums. When the music stops, the child with the parcel is allowed to remove one layer of wrapping. So it carries on until the last layer is removed which reveals the prize!
Rainbow Rhythms
Interactive storytelling, using various percussion instruments to represent characters and events in the story, which can be a known story or one made up by the children!
Drumming Lessons
We offer private one to one drumming lessons and small group lessons at our studio in Observatory. We teach a variety of styles and technique mostly from West Africa. We focus mainly on djembe but also teach dun dun (bass drums), gankui (Ghanaian double bell), kpanlogo (African conga), marakesh and shekere (shakers), songs and dances.
No matter what your drumming experience is our experienced teachers will show you from beginner to advanced student. Everyone is welcome to enjoy the spirit of the drum!
See Our Newsletter for latest timetable and prices.
We run workshops for any level of drummer and have some great weekend or weeklong getaway workshops for groups of 20 or more.
