Let Us Chase the Squirrel

Kodaly: Let Us Chase the Squirrel is mainly taught to introduce Re and reinforce Do and half notes. The game is basically the same game as Apple Tree.

Game:

Have students stand in a circle.

Have them sing the song and march in a circle.

Pick 2 people to be the squirrels mouth (connect hands and lift them over their head).

The students (hickory nuts) walk under the students arms while singing the song and walking to the beat.

On the last word "tree" the squirrels mouth closes on a hickory nut. Whoever they capture becomes part of the squirrels mouth and the game continues. (Many students reference the squirrel in Ice Age who is always trying to catch an acorn).

If no one is caught, the closest "hickory nut" becomes part of the squirrels mouth.

Continue until you only have a few "hickory nuts" left.