Xylophone on Meet Them in Music

Ally Bally

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 22:15:00 +0000

Activity

Remove all but Do-Mi-So from the xylophones. Invite students up to play with you or set up a few to have students play as a group. On the “To buy some chocolate candy” have the students hold the mallets in both hands make an excited face (like when the kid says “it’s so fluffy Im going to die!” from the movie Despicable Me)

The challenges with this song are:

Poor Old Crow

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:47:00 +0000

A Note on Mixolydian

If you are not accustomed to singing in Mixolydian, pay attention to the C natural.

Activity:

Have students come up to play a xylophone with you 1 and at time or in small groups. After the song is familiar, as students what food they would like to be in the song instead of “meat.” My kids always mention McDonalds!

I use bass bars but use the largest Orﬀ instrument you have, removing everything except the notes you want to use. You will need a tonic (I) and dominant (V) in whatever key you have available. D and A are nice because it sits within a child’s singing range.

Great Big House in New Orleans

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This is a great song to bring out the bass xylophone or bass bars.

Activity:

For classes that need it, I will often have the kids come up in turns. For classes that are more independent, I will set out multiple instruments. On the first attempt, play with the students on the same instrument.

Have a student choose the type of pie that is in the Great Big House. Fill in that word instead of “pumpkin.” Any answer is the acceptable!