Lycra Activities
- Tara Delve
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Stretch, Play, Learn: The Magic of Lycra Props in Music Education
Tara Delve
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The Magic of Lycra Props in Music Education: Lycra, scrunchie, and parachute activities bring incredible energy to the music classroom. These simple props create democratic learning environments where children work together without an obvious leader. The stretchy materials provide tactile feedback while helping students visualise musical patterns, making abstract concepts concrete. What makes these tools so effective? They accommodate all ability levels, encourage social interaction through shared movement, and develop body awareness through proprioceptive input. Whether used with a full class or small intervention groups, these affordable, versatile props build trust while reinforcing musical learning in ways traditional methods simply can't match.
Lycra, scrunchie, and parachute activities are always a massive hit in the music classroom! This simple prop can provide much fun and learning if used appropriately and within clear boundaries.
Why use them?
These group activities are very democratic, as there is no obvious leader, and children are encouraged to work together to make the activity successful.
Social interaction is encouraged, as eye contact, cues, and movement are taken from others in the group.
All abilities can be catered for, as those with less developed skills can be strategically placed between the more capable children. This way, they will be able to follow their lead.
These props are versatile, as they come in various sizes and can accommodate a whole class of children or smaller, more focused intervention groups.
The stretchy nature of Lycra provides tactile and proprioceptive input, helping children develop body awareness.
Encourages large muscle movements as children stretch, pull, and push against the Lycra.
Builds trust and positive relationships.
Enables the children to see and hear musical patterns and devices. This way reinforces their musical learning.
Tips for Success
Memorable tunes help the children to revisit the song independently in their own time. Simple, catchy songs with a predictable structure encourage this recall.
Limited Pitch Range. This enables the children to focus on a few repeated notes and patterns. Less is more.
Many repetitions. Although this can seem tedious for us, it is essential for the children to grasp and embed these initial concepts. It’s also great for us as we can become confident in what we are delivering.
Unaccompanied. The aim is to eventually sing the songs together unaccompanied (without the tracks). This takes away the scaffolding to stay on the pitch and forces the children to listen and adjust their singing to pitch-match the group.
Starting note: Be sure to start on a note that is appropriate for the children's vocal range. Their voice is higher than ours due to their shorter vocal cords. Moving in and around the pitch range below is comfortable and achievable for most young children. Notes E - D
Props - Parachutes, Scrunchies and Lycra.
Parachute Size Explanation
The easiest way to find the right size of parachute for your class is by counting the number of handles. You can have one to two children per handle, depending on the space that you have available. Here's more in-depth information:
This size is perfect for engaging the entire class in collaborative activities. Be sure to select a spacious area, such as a gymnasium or outdoor setting, to accommodate the expansive dimensions of this parachute.
Ideal for whole-class engagement, the medium parachute requires some organisation. Participants will hold onto one handle and a section of the material, placing them close. This setup works best in larger classroom environments where you can easily maintain control of the whole group.
Great for splitting students into manageable groups, this parachute accommodates up to 12 children comfortably on each side, allowing for focused activities while ensuring everyone stays engaged.
Perfect for small group activities, this parachute is tailored for 8-10 students, encouraging interaction and teamwork in a more intimate setting.
The Scrunchie
Scrunchies come in a variety of sizes and colours and are great for encouraging release and grasp, pulling and stretching and for identifying colours and patterns.
Large Scrunchie
This size of elastic is excellent for engaging the entire class in collaborative activities.
Medium Scrunchie
The 8-meter scrunchie is ideal for splitting students into manageable groups or for organising the children to be closer together in a group area.
Small Scrunchie
The 5-meter scrunchie comfortably accommodates 5 - 10 pupils and is, therefore, great for intervention and small group work.
Lycra Size Explanation
Generally, Lycra comes in a fixed width of 147 cm. I prefer the see-through mesh Lycra, as it tends to be more bouncy, easier to grab, and has a better four-way stretch. Younger children can also sit underneath and see what is happening above them due to its transparent nature. I also use coloured matte Lycra to represent objects. Ideas such as blue Lycra for the ocean and Green for the countryside.
1-meter length - Suitable for a small group
2-meter length - Suitable for small to medium groups
3-meter length - Suitable for a medium group
4-meter length - Suitable for medium to large groups
5-meter length - Suitable for a large group
Lycra, scrunchies, and parachutes transform music education by combining musical learning with physical activity and social development. These affordable props create inclusive, multi-sensory experiences where children of all abilities can participate meaningfully. By establishing clear boundaries and starting with simple, memorable tunes, you'll create a classroom environment where students eagerly engage, building musical skills alongside trust and positive relationships.
These versatile tools aren't just fun—they're powerful vehicles for learning that will enhance your teaching and delight your students.
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