Using Hand Bells With Four and Five Year Olds

Four and five year olds are ready for a more advanced approach to hand bells.  They are capable of watching for the changes in the colored cards and as a group, are able to play chords with their bells.

The first thing you want to do, after handing out the bells is to practice holding up one, two or three colored cards at the same time (See below for ways that the bells go together based on color).  Once you have practiced Playing and Resting this way, you are ready to move on to accompanying a song.

Common Chords

C Major:    Red Bell         Yellow Bell    Light Blue Bell
G Major:    Light Blue Bell    Purple Bell    Orange Bell
G7 Major:  Light Blue Bell    Purple Bell      Green Bell
F Major:    Green Bell       Dark Blue Bell        Red Bell


Unless you have the chromatic additions to your hand bells (which includes notes such as F#, C#, and G#), you will not be able to fully make the D Major or A Major chords - but don't worry, we can improvise for these!!


Most children's songs are use two or three chords (I and V (or V7) or I, IV and V (or V7)) and are generally in the keys of C, G, D or F. Those of you with some musical training know exactly what I am talking about - the rest of you, don't worry, I will make all of this very simple for you!

OK, let's get down to the nitty -gritty here.

Below, I am going to print the words for 3 well known songs.  Above the words, you will see indications for chords.  For example:
 CM
Row, Row, Row your boat...

The "CM" above the word "Row" means that the children play the bells for a C Major Chord. Remember the Common Chords I listed above?  That's where they come into play. You keep ringing that chord until the lyric sheet indicates a change. If only one letter is above a word, then you play just that bell; if I list two letters above a word, then two bells play at the same time.  I will color code it when you need to play only one or two bells to make it easier for you!  Just remember, when you see an "M" printed, that's when you play a whole chord, otherwise you are only playing one or two bells at a time.

Here are your songs:

1.  London Bridge

CM

London Bridge is falling down

G7                          CM

Falling down, falling down

CM

London Bridge is falling down

G7            CM

My fair lady

2.  The More We Get Together

        D

The more we get together

A                   A

Together, together

D

The more we get together

        AE                           D

The happier we'll be

       A

For your friends are my friends

A

And my friends are your friends

         D

The more we get together

        A                           DA

The happier we'll be

3.  Apples and Bananas

FM

I like to eat, 
FM
I like to eat
FM
I like to eat, eat 
FM                           CM                     
apples and bananas
CM
I like to eat, 
CM
I like to eat
CM                                          
I like to eat, eat
                       FM
apples and bananas




Below are the links for the songs that you can use:

London Bridge:  http://www.amazon.com/London-Bridge-Is-Falling-Down/dp/B003KXR4US/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1327599989&sr=1-1

The More We Get Together:  http://www.amazon.com/The-More-We-Get-Together/dp/B0010VFQWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1327600050&sr=1-1

Apples and Bananas:  http://www.amazon.com/Apples-and-Bananas/dp/B0010W0FA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1327600106&sr=1-1


I hope I have not thoroughly confused you and you are able to implement the ideas I've discussed in this article.  If you have any questions, please post a comment and I will address any and all questions or ideas.  Hand bells are a lot of fun to use with preschoolers and once you get the knack of it, you will utilize those bells that you've had locked up in your supply closet for years!