You can easily brighten up your classroom music lesson with this simple game that kids will ask for again and again! It’s easy to set up, you can do it successfully without any musical equipment, and it teaches rhythm and musical confidence while everyone has fun. Add it to your lesson plans!

Preparation:

Arrange the chairs in a large circle. Pull out a chair for you. If you have enough drums for the whole class, place one in front of each chair. The children will use their hands to play the drums. You, the teacher, should ideally have a cowbell and a whisk.

If you don’t have enough drums, you can alternate drums and other percussion instruments, such as tambourines, castanets, etc., around the circle. You can make everyone move after each round of the game, so the distribution of instruments will be fair. If you don’t have any instrument, just clap your hands to the beat!

Start by demonstrating the main rhythm: quarter note, two eighth notes, quarter note (quarter note, two eighth notes, quarter note). The measure is ¾.

actually say “Tea, coffee, break; tea, coffee, break;” and have the whole class repeat it several times. Then have everyone play the rhythm together on their instruments.

Then substitute a “rest” for the third beat – in other words, the rhythm becomes quarter note, two eighth notes, quarter note rest (quarter note, two eighth notes, nothing). When everyone can do this together, you’re ready to start the game. Explain that everyone must abide by your rules and that your decisions will be final.

How to play Tea Coffee Rest – training version

Ask the children to put down their instruments for this version. Start very slowly. count out loud “one two three” and look directly at the child who is going to start, to eliminate any doubt. You keep the pulse with your cowbell.

The first boy says “tea” in the first time, the second child says “coffee” in the second time and the third child does not say anything at all. the fourth child says “tea” and so. insist that “coffee” they are two pairs eighth notes (eighth notes) in strict rhythm. Continue going around the circle until everyone understands.

How to play Tea Coffee Rest – real live version

The children take their drums and percussion. Explain that this time they will play the same tea, coffee, break rhythm on your instruments, one at a time. If someone makes a mistake they will be “out” and will have to sit on the floor, leaving their instrument on the chair.

Count “one two three” as before and keep the pulse with your cowbell (yes, even in the rests). The first boy hits his drum once on the first beat, the second boy hits twice. eighth notes (eighth notes), the third does nothing, the fourth child plays once, the fifth plays twice eighth notes (eighth notes), the sixth does nothing, and so on around the circle.

Every time someone makes a mistake, they’re “out.” They immediately put down their instrument (on the chair) and sit on the floor, no argument at all! You restart with the same countdown, looking at the next child in the circle.

As the number of active players decreases, you can increase the pace. If you’re left with three (or six) good players who don’t make a mistake, just stop and restart (on a different kid) quickly so you catch them off guard. Or reverse direction. When you are down to two players, even you will be confused!

You can help children by looking seriously at each player when it’s their turn, or tease them by looking seriously at another child for playing at the wrong time.

Give the winner a Smartie or a sticker or whatever coin they value, then have everyone move (for a chair) before sitting back down on the chairs. Start over right away and keep up the pace. Four rounds of the game is probably enough, although children would happily play for hours. The next time you play you will not have to give any explanation.

A note of caution: this game will make you very popular, but the downside is that kids may tell their parents that they only play in their music lessons. Be ready to defend the activity and explain how it teaches children to count over time, participate independently, listen and fit in with others, act in a group, and recognize note values!

Thanks to Ros Shaw for telling me about this and many other great games.