CONTENTS
Page
Introduction
2
Chapter 1: Rhythmics programme: Venner er gode at ha’ (It’s good to have friends)
3
Chapter 2: Bamsevens sang (Buddy Bear’s song)
25
Chapter 3: Massage: The person you touch, you don't bully
27
Chapter 4: Community-forming activities
41
Chapter 5: Colour in Buddy Bear
49
INTRODUCTION
In this activity booklet, we focus on fostering community spirit within the group through rhythmics,
massage and active games for babies and toddlers in childcare facilities.
The activities are based on the four Free of Bullying values – tolerance, respect, care and courage.
You can find more information about these four values in the Free of Bullying guidebook for
childcare professionals.
All the activities encourage having fun together, which draws the children closer to each other, and
can be carried out indoors and outdoors.
As adults, you play a particularly important role in making the activities fun for everyone. You are the
children’s role models. When you participate actively and attentively, the children will follow your
lead.
Have fun!
2
CHAPTER 1: RHYTHMICS PROGRAMME: IT’S GOOD TO
HAVE FRIENDS
We all respond to music. Music touches us emotionally. It can make us feel sad, happy and excited,
wild and energetic. It makes us want to move, dance, skip and play. Or makes us feel relaxed and
calm. Because in addition to tapping into our emotions, it also affects us physically.
Children learn through movement and experiencing emotions, so we should incorporate music into
our activities with children. In a safe and secure environment with familiar children and adults, a
child will develop and strengthen his or her social experiences by exploring music and movement.
What’s more, we strengthen the children’s senses, concepts, language and imagination in the
process.
Aspects of all four Free of Bullying values – tolerance, respect, care and courage – feature in the
rhythmics programme. The music and games are designed to spread joy, togetherness, fun and
learning, and to strengthen the relationships in the group and thus cultivate a healthy culture among
the children.
OUR RHYTHMICS MATERIAL
Some of the activities are team-oriented trust-building exercises and games. The material consists
of an updated version of the “Venner er gode at ha´” (It’s good to have friends) rhythmics
programme developed for Free of Bullying for the 3 to 6-year-old age group, as well as new songs
and activities specifically designed for young day care children. The material can also be used for
preschool children.
Each song is designed to work well with the corresponding activity or game and you can also play
the song just to listen to it. This enables you to integrate them into other everyday activities.
We have also included notes with the melody and musical notations, should you wish to play along.
It is a good idea to let the children play along too. Use gross motor instruments such as drums,
maracas, drum boxes and rhythm sticks. The instruments help shape movements and games.
Notes and rhythms have not been included for the songs designed for the children to play along to.
The process is what matters – not how correctly they play.
3
“Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm
and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul...”
Socrates, 469-399 f.Kr.
HOW TO GET STARTED
•
Hold a rhythmics session every week.
•
Make your rhythmics sessions 40–45 minutes long.
•
Allow a maximum of 15 children to participate in a session.
•
Familiarise yourselves with every song and activity in advance to ensure the session runs
smoothly.
•
Remember, you are role models. Sing along so that the children do too.
•
Your rhythmics session should take place in a spacious, quiet area.
•
End each session with a massage or relaxation exercise to tranquil music.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE GAMES
The games are described by providing the musical form, such as [A|A|B], which refers to the
different parts of the song. In this case: verse, verse, chorus. This will also appear in the notes,
where letters have been inserted next to the different sections – e.g. A B.
The descriptions of the games refer to these sections and to what you should do.
Any instruments and props required for the activity are indicated under “Materials”.
4
VENNER ER GODE AT HA’ (IT’S GOOD TO HAVE
FRIENDS)
Når ænder leger i vandet,
og fugle flyver i flok.
Så kan man se det,
se det, ja
de er venner,
og venner er gode at ha’.
Når grisen leger med koen,
og koen leger med hesten.
Så kan man se det,
se det, ja
de er venner,
og venner er gode at ha’.
En gris den grynter,
anden rapper,
koen siger muh.
De taler jo det sprog, de kan,
men de er venner alle mand.
Når ænder leger i vandet,
og fugle flyver i flok.
Så kan man se det,
se det, ja
de er venner,
og venner er gode at ha’.
Så kan man se det,
hør mig si´ det,
ja, venner er gode at ha’.
5
ACTIVITY
Form
[Intro|A|A|B|Aª|Outro]
Materials
Rope / hula hoops
Singing game
Lyrics:
Intro
Actions:
Everyone stands in a circle. Stretch up your arms
and swing them from side to side to “aiaeo”.
A
“Når ænder leger…”
Walk/dance sideways in one direction in the circle.
A
“Når grisen leger…”
Walk/dance, perhaps in the other direction.
B
“En gris den grynter…”
Tiptoe into the middle of the circle and back again.
Aa
“Når ænder leger…”
Walk/dance sideways in the circle.
Outro
Stretch up your arms and swing them from side to
side to “aiaeo”.
Variations

Hold on to a rope or hula hoop – this may make it easier for the children to walk in a circle. You
can also just walk in a long line while holding on to the rope.

Set up an obstacle course. Instead of dancing in a circle, you all form a line and follow the
person in front through hula hoops, under chairs, over cushions, etc. You still need to stretch
your arms up and sing “aiaeo” during the intro, but for the rest of the song, you all move around
on the obstacle course.
6
UDE I SKOVEN (OUT IN THE FOREST)
Ude i skoven, oppe fra et træ hører jeg lyde, der lyder sådan her.
Hvem er det? Hvem er det? Hvem er det, der banker?
Hvem er det, der banker sådan her?
”Det er en spætte!”
Ude i skoven, oppe fra et træ
hører jeg lyde, der lyder sådan her.
Hvem er det? Hvem er det? Hvem er det, der fløjter?
Hvem er det, der fløjter sådan her?
”Det er en musvit!”
Ude i skoven, oppe fra et træ
hører jeg lyde, der lyder sådan her.
Hvem er det? Hvem er det? Hvem er det, der kukker?
Hvem er det, der kukker sådan her?
”Det er en gøg!”
7
ACTIVITY
Form
[A|A|A]
Action song
Sit in a circle, facing each other.
A
Lyrics:
Actions:
“Ude i skoven,”
Spin your hands around with your fingers pointing
up (like the branches of a tree).
“oppe fra et træ”
Point with your finger at the opposite hand (the
branches of your tree).
“hører jeg lyde, der lyder
sådan her.”
Hands behind your ears.
“Hvem er det?” “Hvem er
det?”
“Hvem er det, der banker?”
“Hvem er det, der banker
sådan her?”
“Det er en spætte!”
Put one hand out in a questioning gesture, and
then the other.
Put both hands out in a questioning gesture and
pat your chest or thump on the floor.
Pat your chest or thump on the floor.
Everyone sings the name of the animal.
A
Same gestures as before until “fløjter”. Play on the
flute using all 10 fingers.
A
Same gestures as before until “kukker”. Bring your
hands to your mouth like a mouthpiece.
Variations

Once you have mastered the song, you can come up with new animals to sing about.
8
KOM, SÆT DIG HER (COME AND SIT HERE)
Kom sæt dig her ved min side,
så skal jeg trøste dig.
Kom og lad mig vide,
hvorfor du ta’r sådan på vej.
Kom sæt dig her ved min side,
så vil jeg kramme dig.
Kom det er på tide,
at vi to skal lege en leg.
Kom lad mig gi’ dig en knuser,
gøre dig glad igen.
Hør hvor vinden suser,
nu smiler du atter min ven.
9
ACTIVITY
Form
[Intro|A|A|A|Outro]
Materials
Silk scarves
Parachute/sheet (optional)
Buddy Bear (optional)
Singing game
Each child has a silk scarf
Intro
All the children sit with the scarf on their head. When the music starts, they stand
up.
A
Children and adults dance around with their scarves. Draw in the air and perform a
little ballet. Invent gentle movements/poses with the scarf
A
You can do the same as before, or the adult can throw their scarf into the air and
the children can catch it as it slowly floats to the floor.
A
Alternatively, the adult can blow on the scarf. This makes it waft in the air for longer
before the children can catch it.
Outro
Slowly sit down on the floor and finish off by placing the scarf on your head.
Variations

Half of the children could watch to start with, while the other half dance in the middle of the
room. They can then swap over after one verse.

Have the children sit close to each other on the floor. Create a den by covering the children with
a parachute or sheet. You could bring Buddy Bear into the den so you can sing for it. Sing
together while you gently move the parachute up and down, creating a breeze. If you let the
parachute touch your hair, you will see a bunch of beautiful hair sticking straight up in the air
when you lift it back up.

This is a peaceful song and can also be used as a comfort song.
10
JEG ER EN ABE (I AM A MONKEY)
Jeg kan svinge mig i træ’rne,
pille mig i tæ’rne.
Hænge med hoved neda’.
Jeg elsker bananer,
kravler i lianer.
Det er ikke noget at være ked a’.
For jeg er en abe,
en rigtig lille abe.
Jeg er en abe,
der siger: UH HU UH.
Jeg kan liste rundt og jage,
i mange, mange dage.
Jeg har så skarpe tænder.
Mit hår er en manke,
ride, ride, ranke.
Ska’ vi ikke ta’ og være venner?
For jeg er en løve,
en rigtig farlig løve.
Jeg er en løve,
der brøler: RAUGH.
Jeg kan trutte med min snabel,
jeg er så formidabel.
Vælter et træ med panden.
Jeg bader i mudder,
sikken dejlig pludder.
Kom, så kan vi sprøjte på hinanden.
For jeg er en elefant,
en rigtig elefant.
En elefant,
der trutter: TRUUUUT.
11
ACTIVITY
Form
[A|B|A|B|A|B]
Materials
Drums and other percussion instruments.
Singing game
A
Move around as if you are the animal you are singing about: the monkey with its
bouncy walk, the elephant with its trunk, the lion who is tiptoeing around on all
fours.
B
Dance like a monkey – stomp like an elephant – act like the dangerous lion.
Variations

It’s a good idea to form a jungle orchestra that plays along to the song. Use drums, rhythm sticks
and other percussion instruments. Divide the children into two groups so that you have an
orchestra and dancers.

It is always fun to explore the instruments. Try to create a jungle vibe. The elephant’s stomping
is an easy one to play along to on the drums. Maracas can sound like dangerous snakes.
Rhythm sticks can imitate exotic birds perching in the trees and pecking. When you gently tap
your fingers on the drums, it can sound like the lion tiptoeing around. The marimba and rhythm
box invite everyone to dance.
Let your imagination run wild – since that’s perfectly acceptable in the jungle!
12
BOLDLEG (BALL GAME)
Hvis du triller,
triller bolden hen til mig.
Vil jeg trille,
trille bolden hen til dig.
Den kan trille som en kugle,
den kan hoppe på en bule.
Hvis du triller,
triller bolden hen til mig.
Hvis du danser,
hvis du danser lidt med mig.
Vil jeg danse,
vil jeg danse lidt med dig.
Vi kan danse hele dagen,
vi kan også ryste bagen.
Hvis du danser,
hvis du danser lidt med mig.
Hvis du kaster,
kaster bolden hen til mig.
Vil jeg kaste,
kaste bolden hen til dig.
Den kan hoppe som en loppe,
den kan snurre, den kan stoppe.
Hvis du kaster,
kaster bolden hen til mig.
13
ACTIVITY
Form
[Intro|A|A|A|A|Solo|A|Outro]
Materials
Ball
Hula hoop (optional)
Beach ball (optional)
Preparation
Divide the children into pairs. Have them sit facing each other with their legs stretched out to either
side and some space between them. Give each pair a ball.
Singing game
Intro
A
A
A
Solo
A
A
As indicated in the verse, you roll the ball to each other.
Everyone stands up and throws the ball to each other.
Outro
Put the ball away and let the children dance with their partners.
Alternatively, they can try dancing with the ball between them.
Tummy to tummy, back to back, or head to head.
Variations

Many children enjoy playing with balls but the extent to which they can control them varies. You
could perhaps let each child have a ball. Let them roll and throw the ball through a hula hoop
held by an adult.

Sit in a circle. Roll a large beach ball over to a child. The child then rolls the ball to another child,
etc. Sing the song as you roll the ball to each other.

Let all the children sit with their own ball at one end of the room. Then count to three – and let
everyone roll/throw their ball into the room. Each child fetches their own ball and you repeat the
game.
14
DEN LILLE SNEGL (THE LITTLE SNAIL)
Jeg’ den lille snegl med hus på ryggen.
Mit hus er flot, her er plads til hyggen.
Når jeg sætter mig ned for at holde et hvil,
falder huset af med et bump.
15
ACTIVITY
Form
[Intro|A|Interl|A|Interl|A]
Materials
Bean bags
Hula hoops (optional)
Singing game
Lyrics:
Intro
The adult places a rice bag on
the back of each child, who crawls
around like a snail with its house
on its back.
Jeg’ den lille snegl med hus på ryggen.
Mit hus er flot, her er plads til hyggen.
Når jeg sætter mig ned for at holde et hvil,
falder huset af med et bump.
A
Interl
Actions:
Crawl around.
Sit up and wave.
The bean bags fall off.
Now it’s time to get out and crawl
again.
An adult will probably need to help
place the “house” back on their
backs.
A
The same as before.
Interl
Put the bean bag back on.
A
The same as before.
Variations

The crawl can also be played as an “indoors and outdoors” game. Place one hula hoop per child
in various parts of the room. Each child lies down in a hula hoop. This is their house. While you
sing, the children crawl around with their bean bags on their backs. When you all sing “Når jeg
sætter mig ned” (when I sit down), the children must crawl back to their respective houses and
sit up so the bean bag falls off.
16
LAD MIG SE, AT DU KAN HOPPE (LET ME SEE YOU
HOP)
Lad mig se, at du kan hoppe.
Hoppe.
Lad mig se, at du kan hoppe.
Hoppe.
Lad mig se, at du kan hoppe,
hoppe rigtig højt min ven
Lad mig se, at du kan hoppe.
Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja. Flot.
Lad mig høre, du kan klappe.
Klappe.
Lad mig høre, du kan klappe.
Klappe.
Lad mig høre, du kan klappe,
klappe rigtig højt min ven.
Lad mig høre, du kan klappe.
Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja. Flot.
Lad mig se, at du kan vinke.
Vinke.
Lad mig se, at du kan vinke.
Vinke.
Lad mig se, at du kan vinke,
vinke rigtig fint min ven.
Lad mig se, at du kan vinke.
Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja. Flot.
Lad mig se, at du kan danse.
Danse.
Lad mig se, at du kan danse.
Danse.
Lad mig se, at du kan danse,
danse rigtig flot min ven.
Lad mig se, at du kan danse.
Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja. Flot.
Lad mig se, at du kan dreje.
Dreje.
Lad mig se, at du kan dreje.
Dreje.
Lad mig se, at du kan dreje,
dreje hele vejen rundt.
Lad mig se, at du kan dreje.
Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja, Ai-ja-ja. Flot.
17
ACTIVITY
Form
[A|B|A|B|A|B|A|B|A|B]
Materials
Drums/maracas (optional)
Singing game
A
The lyrics in each verse describe what you should do: hop, wave, turn around, clap
and dance.
B
During the interlude, the children can hop, wave, turn around, etc. They can do this
with a partner. At the end, you sing along to “Ai-ja-ja” and stretch your arms in the
air on “Flot”.
Variations

You can use the song as a “Hello and let’s get started” song. Sit in a circle and sing for each
child. The child decides in advance what movement he or she would like to do. Then you all sing
the song. Clap while you sing.

This song uses a great range of drums and percussion instruments. It is an ideal song for you
and the children to play along to on the drums/maracas and other instruments. You could divide
the children into two groups: an orchestra and dancers.
18
BAMSEVEN (BUDDY BEAR)
Bamseven Bamseven.
Hvor er nu min Bamseven?
Bamseven Bamseven
Bamse kom nu hjem igen.
19
ACTIVITY
Form
[A|A|B|A|A|B|A|A]
Materials
Maracas
Small teddy bears (optional)
Preparation
The children sit in a circle with a maraca each.
Action song
Before you start singing, everyone hides their maracas on the same part of their body. A child or an
adult decides where the maracas should be hidden. It could be on the head, under a top, or up a
trouser leg. Everyone shakes to the music during the instrumental section.
A
B
Lyrics:
Actions:
Bamseven Bamseven
Hvor er nu min Bamseven?
Bamseven Bamseven
Bamse kom nu hjem igen.
Look for Buddy Bear.
Put your arms out in a questioning
gesture.
Look for Buddy Bear.
Wrap your arms around your chest as
if giving yourself a hug.
Everyone takes their maracas and
and plays along to the instrumental
section.
At the end, another place on
the body is chosen as the hiding place
for the maracas.
A
A
A
A
B
The same as above.
The same as all the other As.
Variations

You can swap the maracas for little teddy bears so that you hide the little teddies in different
places on the body.

The children sit in a circle. They send a little teddy bear around from one child to the next while
singing the song. At some point, the adult says “stop” and all the children raise their hands. The
child holding the teddy could shout “hurray” or say “I have the little teddy”.
20
LINEDANSER OLSEN (TIGHTROPE WALKER OLSEN)
Linedanser Olsen, der bor i Holstebro,
har fået et par fine linedansersko.
Og når hun går på linen, lyder der et suk,
for Linedanser Olsen er meget, meget smuk.
21
ACTIVITY
Form
[Intro|A|Interl|A|Interl|A]
Materials
Rope/string
Silk scarves
Preparation
Place a long rope out on the floor. Alternatively, tie it between two chairs or have a child sit at either
end of the rope and hold it. The children are each given a silk scarf tied around their tummy like a
ballerina skirt. If you like, the older children can also be given a little umbrella each so they look like
real tightrope walkers.
Singing game
You are all circus performers about to walk on a tightrope. The children take it in turns to balance on
the rope. Let each child walk on the rope for the duration of a verse.
While the children probably won’t take each step on the rope, it’s great to see how their balance
improves every time you play this game.
Intro
All the circus performers stand in a circle and bow to the audience. Then, sit in a
circle to form your own little circus ring.
A
The first tightrope walker walks on the rope.
Interl
Finish the turn. Clapping is good. Choose another child to be the next tightrope
walker.
A
Next tightrope walker.
Interl
Finish the turn and choose a new tightrope walker.
A
Yet another tightrope walker.
Variations

Some children like to hold hands with someone while they balance on the rope. This could be an
adult or – even better – a good friend.

The lyrics are obviously changed to say “he” when a boy is walking on the rope.
22
SOV MIN LILLE BAMSEVEN (SLEEP, MY LITTLE BUDDY
BEAR)
Sov min lille Bamseven,
drøm om dine venner.
Kom nu lille Bamseven,
hold i mine hænder.
Kom put dig under dynen her,
så får du sikkert varmen.
Så synger jeg en vuggesang
og aer dig på armen.
Så sov min lille Bamseven,
sov nu sødt og længe i din seng.
Sov min lille Bamseven,
sov nu sødt og længe.
Drøm dig væk min Bamseven,
ud på store enge.
Som du kan løbe, lege på
med alle dem, du kender.
Hvor du er heldig og kan få
endnu flere venner.
Så sov min lille Bamseven,
sov nu sødt og længe i din seng.
Se nu lyser månen,
det er ved at blive nat.
Kom nu skal du sove,
du skal ligge ned min skat.
Så sov min lille Bamseven,
sov nu sødt og længe i din seng.
23
ACTIVITY
Form
[Intro|A| Intro|A|B|Aª |Outro]
Materials
Little teddy bears
Silk scarves
Preparation
Each child has their own little teddy bear.
Singing game
Play that you are tucking the teddies into bed while singing a peaceful lullaby. Perhaps rock the
teddies in your arms a little first. You may need to give them a hug while you carry them around for
a little while. At the end, sit down with your teddies and tuck them in using the scarf as a blanket.
Variations

This is a quiet and cosy activity that calms the children. It is therefore a good idea to play this
game before embarking on one of the massage activities or to end off a rhythmics session.

Conclude the game with the children lying on their backs and, while they are relaxing, blowing
bubbles as you walk between them. Agree in advance that the children should not attempt to
catch the bubbles – but rather just lie there and look at them.
Bubbles recipe



1 cup washing-up liquid
3 cups water
1/8 cup glycerine (sold in supermarkets, some pharmacies, etc.). This is not essential for the
bubbles to work but it makes them last longer.
24
CHAPTER 2: BAMSEVENS SANG (BUDDY BEAR’S
SONG)
By Ole Kibsgaard
Buddy Bear’s song has been created as a theme song for Free of Bullying.
It incorporates the four Free of Bullying values – tolerance, respect, care and courage – and
emphasises the importance of including everyone.
It’s a good idea to teach the children the song and sing it every time you are focusing on Free of
Bullying. The song is recorded on the CD and there is also an instrumental version.
Hvis du ser, at nogen driller
andre børn, så de bli’r triste,
skal du ikke se den anden vej,
som om du ikke vidste,
at alle børn har brug for venner,
nogen der kan li’ dem
om så de hedder Ibrahim, Karl-Børge eller Iben.
Så lad os holde sammen
og prøve at forstå,
at selvom vi’ forskellige
én stor og nogle små,
så skal vi være søde
og hjælpe, når vi kan
om det’ en pige på fire år eller en gammel mand.
25
Bamsevens sang (Buddy Bear’s song)
26
MASSAGE: THE PERSON YOU TOUCH, YOU DON’T
BULLY
Our massage programme involves the children giving each other tactile massage based on the
principle that you will not bully someone if you are used to touching them - the person you touch,
you don't bully
Massage forms part of the non-verbal, positive interaction among the children.
It has the added benefits of improving concentration, tolerance, acceptance, contact, openness and
listening skills among the children. Massage can also prevent conflicts from developing and ensure
they are quickly forgotten.
The focus is on getting the children used to physical contact, and on ensuring that it not only comes
from the adults but also feels good when received from other children.
MASSAGE RELEASES OXYTOCIN
Physical touch releases the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is very important to relationships between
people – it helps develop stronger bonds between us. Large amounts of oxytocin are released
during birth and breastfeeding and when people fall in love. Oxytocin is also responsible for
developing a positive bond between children who massage each other.
A child will tend not to hit or tease another child whom they have given massage or received
massage from. Regular back massage will lead to greater harmony, improved social interaction,
fewer conflicts and better conditions for learning among a group of children.
MASSAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS
Massage involves the children interacting in a very quiet, intimate environment. Many children are
used to sitting close to their mother or father and reading stories. Children who are not comfortable
with this level of intimacy can become insecure and fidgety in an unfamiliar situation like this. These
children risk being labelled as trouble makers and too immature to participate in massage, but they
can learn how to do it. It just takes more time and requires extra awareness among the adults.
Some children may need to watch the others giving massage before they feel like joining in, and it is
important that no one is forced to participate.
“As it happens – regardless of what we are doing at the time – the
minute we say ‘It’s time for massage’, they drop everything and can’t
wait to get started. They have certainly adopted it whole-heartedly.”
Teacher (Knudsen Lindberg and Kampmann, 2008)
27
HOW TO GET STARTED
Before you start using the massage stories and have the children sitting together in pairs, you can
start with some exercises to get the children used to being touched and relaxing.
We recommend that you talk to the children about how they should show care for the child they are
giving massage and make the experience feel good. Let them know that it does not feel nice to be
tickled or poked unexpectedly.
You can start with the adults giving the children a little massage on their backs or shoulders when
they are having fruit or sitting at the table. This creates a tranquil mood. It can also be done both
indoors and outdoors.
THE MASSAGE AIMS TO:
Ensure that all the children feel seen and
acknowledged.
Strengthen the children’s ability to say yes or no
and enable them to experience others respecting
this.
Enhance the children’s body awareness and selfesteem.
Give the children an opportunity to relax and
teach them to hone their attention.
Give the children some quiet respite from their
busy lives.
Increase the children’s communication skills and
tolerance.
28
EXERCISES TO GET USED TO MASSAGE
Bean bags massage
The children take turns to lie on their tummies on a blanket or similar. The adults and perhaps a
couple of children lay bean bags on various parts of the children’s bodies. As they put down the
bag, they name which part of the body they are placing it on.
Scarf massage
All the children lie on their tummies on a blanket or similar. Play the massage music from the CD.
The adult trails a scarf over the children’s bodies or wafts it so that it blows on them.
Ball massage
The children take turns to lie on their tummies on a blanket or similar. The adult and perhaps a
couple of children massage the other children with the ball. The children swap every now and again
so that everyone is given the chance to be massaged. It may be a good idea to name the body parts
as the ball touches them.
You can even come up with a little story or sing a song while you massage with the ball. This activity
can also be done using a feather that tickles the children or a paintbrush that paints the various
parts of the body.
The car wash
This massage activity is best suited for the older children. Divide the children into two teams. One
team pretends to be cars that need to drive (crawl or walk) through the car wash tunnel. The other
team acts as the car wash tunnel by standing opposite each other in two rows.
Here is how:
The water
The fingertips softly touch the “cars” as if spraying them with water.
The soap
The palms of the hands massage the soap in.
The brushes
The fingers slide back and forth quickly.
Rinsing
Use the palms to make long strokes.
Drying
Blow to dry the “car”.
Polishing
Use the palms to make soft, gliding movements.
29
Burger massage
The children take turns to lie on a blanket or similar. The adult explains and shows the other
children how to perform the movements and the children copy the adult.
Here is how:
Toast the bread
Use the hands to stroke the whole body.
Spread on the ketchup
Use the fingers to stroke the whole body.
Spread on the mustard
Use two fingers to prick all over the body.
Sprinkle the crispy onions on top
Use all fingers to play piano all over the body.
Add the tomatoes
Draw large and small circles all over the body.
Add the burger patty
Press palms down using firm movements all over the body.
Cover with the bun
One of the children lies on top of the burger patty as if covering it like a bun. NB! Only if the child
lying underneath is as big as or bigger than the child who is going to lie on top of him or her.
30
GETTING STARTED ON THE MASSAGE STORIES
To begin with, it is a good idea for you to massage the children so they experience what massage is
all about.
When the children are ready to try it themselves, pair them up with one sitting behind the other. The
child sitting at the back places his or her hands on the shoulders of the child in front.
The massage is most comfortable if the child maintains physical contact with the child he or she is
massaging as much as possible, but this can be challenging for toddlers. You therefore need to
teach the children to keep one hand on the back at all times – and to not let go when starting a new
movement. The child receiving the massage should simply relax, close their eyes, listen to the story
and the music and enjoy being touched.
Play the massage story from the CD or read it out loud from the booklet while demonstrating the
movements in the air. Using the CD has the added advantage of enabling you to help the children
and focus on the youngest ones. Each child should try to perform the same movements on the back
of the child he or she is massaging as the other children. It may be difficult for the children to do the
movements but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that the two children have a positive experience
of touch and contact and the mood you create between them.
If you read the stories from the booklet out loud, we recommend playing slow background music
without lyrics, such as the massage music on the CD.
When the story ends, it’s a good idea for the children to look at each other, shake hands and say
either “thank you for the massage” or “thank you for lending me your back”. The children then swap
places, the story is read or played again, and the other child gets a massage.
In order to build confidence and trust – and thus get the most out of the massage – it is important
that the same two children regularly massage each other while listening to the same story and
music for approximately one month. The adults pair up the children. The children then swap
massage partners, a new story is chosen, and another piece of music may be used.
“I have ... some very active boys – a few of whom are
constantly on the go – who have found it difficult to so much
as close their eyes. The one getting the massage must
close his eyes. And after a while, we find that ‘Ahh...’ now
they are able to close their eyes and enjoy the massage.”
Teacher (Knudsen, Lindberg and Kampmann, 2008)
31
BAMSEVEN KOMMER TIL DANMARK (BUDDY BEAR
COMES TO DENMARK)
1. Circular movements
Far away in Australia, the sun was shining from a clear blue sky when a letter dropped through
Buddy Bear’s letterbox.
2. Rectangles in the shape of a letter and small waves for the writing
The letter read: Dear Buddy Bear, would you like to come to Denmark?
3. Draw a heart with your fingertips
We would like to learn more about how we can get better at helping each other like you do in
Australia. Warm regards, the children in Denmark.
4. Small, gentle presses using both hands
Buddy Bear was keen and immediately started packing its brand new suitcase. There were so
many exciting things to bring to Denmark that the last few items had to be squeezed into the
suitcase.
5. Small, gentle hops, patting with alternate hands
On the way to the airport, Buddy Bear encountered a heard of kangaroos. They hopped off at
full speed.
6. Slide your fingertips from the top and down the back
Finally, Buddy Bear was sitting in the aeroplane and waving good-bye to all its friends.
7. Vibrate your fingertips
Buddy Bear felt a bit shaky when the plane took off since this was its first time flying. But Buddy
Bear soon fell into a deep sleep.
8. The plane lands gently on the whole length of the back
A full 24 hours later, Buddy Bear woke up just as the plane slowly touched down on the runway
in Copenhagen.
9. Little taps on the back
A whole bunch of children had arrived at the airport to welcome Buddy Bear to Denmark. They
all clapped as Buddy Bear stepped out of the plane.
10. Slide your fingertips from the top and down the back
Buddy Bear waved enthusiastically to all the children and looked forward to showing them what
was in the little suitcase.
32
BAMSEVEN VÅGNER (BUDDY BEAR WAKES UP)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
Buddy Bear has had a snooze and is slowly waking up. It lies there for a bit, staring into space.
Buddy Bear smiles, realising that it’s time to get up and play.
2. Use your palm to stroke from side to side
“But why has it gone all quiet?” wonders Buddy Bear. “I can’t hear anyone.” Buddy Bear sits up
and looks around. “Aw, there’s no one here,” ponders Buddy Bear.
3. “Stomp” on the back with your palms
Buddy Bear is just about to feel sad when it suddenly hears someone stomping around.
“Bonk, bonk,” says the sound as Buddy Bear notices some children holding hands and stomping
on the ground as they sing a song.
4. Use your palm to stroke the back in a zig-zag motion
Buddy Bear can now see all the other children. They are sitting in little groups playing. Some are
playing with cars. They are driving cars in every direction, around in circles and up and down.
5. Gently pinch different spots on the back with your fingers
There are also some children playing with blocks. They have built a tall tower. But suddenly the
whole tower collapses and all the blocks scatter across the floor. Buddy Bear laughs at the loud
noise produced by the fall. And then it’s time for the children to pick all the blocks back up.
6. Finish off by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
To the children’s delight, Buddy Bear helps pick up the blocks. “Thank you,” they say and ask
whether Buddy Bear wants to join the game. Buddy Bear would like that, so they all sit down
and play. One of the children strokes Buddy Bear’s back and says: “It’s so nice that you want to
join our game.”
33
MIN LILLE KAT (MY LITTLE CAT)
1. Start by stroking down the back
My little cat is soft and cuddly. When I stroke it, it starts purring. It almost sounds like rumbling. It
rumbles its own special tune and that means it’s happy.
2. Clench and stretch your fingers across the back
While it lies there purring, it stretches out its claws. And then it gently claws at my legs.
“Ouch,” I say. But it doesn’t understand people talk very well, so it just continues. Until I
eventually have to put it back down on the floor.
3. Draw a square
My cat sometimes sits and stares out the window. And then it meows, which means that it wants
to go out and play. Then I walk over and open the door, and the cat scoots off.
4. Quick taps on the back
My cat sometimes disappears for hours. And then I suddenly hear it meowing outside. Then I
have to go and let it in, and then it runs inside and into the kitchen to drink some water from its
bowl.
5. Draw a circle with your palm
When it’s had a bit to drink, it slowly saunters over to me. It jumps up and lies down on my lap. It
purrs and rumbles its tune.
6. Finish off with gentle strokes down the back
Then I stroke it gently until it falls asleep.
34
MÅNEMANDEN (THE MOON MAN)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
2. Draw a circle
If you look up in the sky after dark, you will see that I am sitting there looking down at you. I am
the moon.
3. Draw a happy face
I sparkle and shine – and if you look closely, you can see that I am smiling at you. The sun is my
wife. She is the loveliest, warmest being I know.
4. Use your palm to stroke from side to side
We are always up here. When it’s night-time somewhere on earth, I am the one looking down.
On the other side of the planet, where it’s day-time, my wife is sitting up there keeping everyone
warm.
5. Use your fingertips to prick all over the back
We also have a lot of young children. They are all the stars you can see in the sky at night. They
light up and play and you’ll see them as the many beautiful dots in the sky.
6. Finish off by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
Now you know who we are. My entire family. My wife, the sun, and all of our children, the stars.
And then there’s me, the moon man, who smiles down at you after dark.
35
NÅR VINDEN BLÆSER (WHEN THE WIND BLOWS)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
When the wind blows, you have to hold onto your hat. That’s what my granny says. But I don’t
understand why she says that. She doesn’t even wear hats.
2. Draw a square
Right now I am standing and looking out the window. I can see cars driving past. There are also
people walking on the pavement. When I look over at the big trees, I can see them moving. They
are swaying back and forth, because it’s really blowing hard today.
3. Use both hands to stroke from side to side
Oh, there goes old Mr Olsen. He has his dog with him. I guess they’re on their way to the shop.
Poor Mr Olsen’s dog, that means it will have to stand outside while Mr Olsen goes into the shop.
That must be cold for the dog.
4. Small shaking movements with clenched hands all over the back
But look, what’s happening now? There’s a huge gust of wind and Mr Olsen’s hat blows off. It
tumbles along the pavement, rolling like a football.
5. Draw a round circle
Mr Olsen’s dog starts barking. Then it breaks loose and runs after the hat. The little dog runs
very fast and soon catches the hat.
6. Finish off by stroking down the back using both hands
It’s a good thing that Mr Olsen has his dog so that he doesn’t have to hold onto his hat!
36
PIZZA (PIZZA)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
I think it’s fun to help out in the kitchen. I love cooking all kinds of food. But I am best at making
pizza.
2. Rub your fingers together as if kneading dough
First you need to make the dough. You need some water and yeast, a little oil and some salt –
and then you add the flour. When everything is mixed together, it’s time to start kneading with
your fingers. I use both hands, because it’s fun to mash the dough together.
3. Press with clenched hands all over the back
I knead the dough well because I want my pizza to be great. I clench both my hands and squash
them into the dough. Sometimes I accidentally get some flour on my face and then my dad says
that I look like a snowman. But I think I’m more like a real pizza man. When the dough is ready it
just needs to rest for a bit.
4. Draw a circle with your palm
Now we get to the best bit. We roll the dough out on the table and make it really thin. And we
also need to make it round. I make it just as round and large as a plate.
5. Hop around with your fingers
The best thing about pizza is that you can decide for yourself exactly what you want it to taste
like. You can add all your favourite ingredients. So I pick the things I like most and put them on
top of my pizza dough. There we go!
6. Finish off by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
All that’s left to do is put it in the oven – and we’ll have a yummy warm pizza in no time at all.
Mmm...
37
TROLDEN, DER BLEV VÆK (THE TROLL WHO GOT
LOST)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
I like to go for walks in the forest. It’s very quiet there.
2. Use your palms to gently stroke from side to side
If you listen carefully, you can sometimes hear branches snapping and trees swaying in the
wind.
3. Small shaking movements with clenched hands all over the back
Once when I was in the forest, a little troll suddenly appeared in front of me. It stood there
looking up at me and I could see that it was very upset. It had tears in its eyes, its lips were
shaking, and it was drooling on its jersey.
“What happened, my little friend?” I asked.
“I’ve lost my mum and dad,” said the little troll.
4. “Stomp” with your palms
I took the little troll by the hand and we went into the forest to look for its mum and dad. First, we
met an owl perching in a tree.
“Hello owl. Have you seen a family of trolls come past?” we asked. It had not, unfortunately,
because it had been sitting up in the tree sleeping all day.
“And when I am sleeping,” said the owl, “I don’t pay much attention to what’s happening in the
forest.”
5. Pull your fingers out to all sides
I continued walking with the little troll. It held my hand tightly so that it wouldn’t get lost again.
Then we met the fox. But it could not help us either.
“I have been lying here looking after my pups all day,” said the fox.
“They have just started running around the den, so I have to keep fetching them and bringing
them back.”
6. Finish off by stroking down the back with your hands
The little troll and I continued walking. And when we had been walking for a little while, we
spotted some other trolls on the path up ahead.
“There’s my mum and dad,” exclaimed the little troll, as it let go of my hand and ran up to them.
And daddy troll and mummy troll were ecstatic to see their little baby troll again. They hugged
the little troll and then went through the trees and into the forest. The little troll turned around
and waved at me.
38
TRYLLEKUNSTNERENS KANIN (THE MAGICIAN’S
RABBIT)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
The brilliant magician Mr Magic was about to perform his world famous magic number. He
began by sweeping his magic wand over the splendid black hat lying on the table.
2. Draw a top hat
“Hocus pocus, marshmallows in chocolate.” But nothing happened. A little white rabbit was
supposed to pop out of the hat, but the hat was empty.
3. Draw a circle
Mr Magic scratched his magician’s beard.
“How strange,” he said.
“Where is my little white rabbit?” He looked underneath his scarves. He looked up his sleeves.
And he looked inside his coat. But the little white rabbit was nowhere in sight!
4. Walk with your fingers over the back
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said.
“My little white rabbit has been conjured away. “I will have to go and look for it.” And then he
packed up all his magic bits and bobs and went out to look for his little white rabbit.
5. Use your fingertips to prick all over the back
He looked in front of the house and behind the house. He looked around the bushes, in the
flower beds and up in the trees. Over by the flagpole and in the bicycle shed. But the little white
rabbit was nowhere to be found.
6. Finish off with gentle strokes down the back
He eventually decided to go back home. When he walked into his lounge, he heard a strange
sound. It sounded like something munching under the table. Mr Magic looked under the table.
And lo and behold, there was a little white rabbit eating a carrot. Mr Magic was delighted and
picked up his little rabbit. He stroked it gently and said: “I am so glad to have found you, thank
goodness you did not disappear for real.”
39
ZOOLOGISK HAVE (THE ZOO)
1. Start by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
You have probably been to a zoo. I’m guessing they exist in all countries. But none of them have
animals as special as the ones I have in my zoo.
2. Draw a square box
The cages are scattered around. I built them myself. I have built them so well that none of the
animals can escape. I didn’t do this because they are dangerous. I did it because I would be
very upset if they ran away one day.
3. Use your nails to draw up the back and out to the sides
Some of the animals have feathers – beautiful feathers that stick out in all directions. I made
them myself. I just took a lump of clay and stuck feathers into it. You won’t believe how pretty
they are.
4. Pull all fingers down the back.
Guests came to visit my zoo yesterday. The big spiders really scared them. Those spiders are
also very colourful, because I made them using wool from the big jumble box. Their bodies are
made of chestnuts and they have matchsticks for legs. And I have added wool to their legs to
look like spider webs. “Oh my,” said the visitors and got very scared.
5. Draw lots of small circles
Should you be lucky and find some very special animals one day, please do bring them over.
You see, I can quickly build some more cages should more animals arrive. In fact, I would love
to have some beautifully-coloured fish. A dottyback fish would be great. In other words, a fish
with lots of different coloured dots on its back. Maybe you can draw me one?
6. Finish off by stroking the palm of your hand down the back
40
CHAPTER 4: COMMUNITY-FORMING ACTIVITIES
The community-forming activities in this chapter bring all children together and are all about having
fun together.
The activities help build children’s motor skills, which are essential for their well-being and ability to
communicate with their surroundings.
When children play community-forming games, it also helps define them as a group. It makes them
feel part of a shared “we” and gives them the opportunity to experience new sides of each other and
develop new friendships.
To get the most out of the activities, we recommend that you try them several times. Children love
repetition and will eventually become familiar with the content.
Your objective should not be to try as many activities as possible, but rather to focus on the
children’s needs and how they are experiencing each activity. There may be children who would
prefer to just watch.
All the activities can be played in both small and large groups of children. We recommend
experimenting with what works best for your group of children.
“Through experimenting with their own bodies in the
company of others, children gain valuable experience of
how different we are, both physically and emotionally: ‘I
like to swing really high, but that scares Asta’, ‘I love to
be tickled, but Anton gets angry when I do it to him.’”
From the book Små glade ben (Happy little legs) by Nanett Borre.
41
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIES
It may be a good idea to use the same familiar activity every time you start a Free of Bullying
session. This enables the children to recognise what they are about to do.
Perhaps you already have a specific activity that you use for the daily assembly and can use this
same activity for this purpose.
You could sing and play “Bamsevens sang” (Buddy Bear’s song), “Lad mig se, at du kan hoppe”
(Let me see you hop) or start with an activity where you greet all the children and briefly mention
those who are absent. By doing this, you show that they are also part of the group.
Remember that all community-forming activities can be played both indoors and outdoors.
Hi Buddy Bear
Melody: Are you sleeping (Frère Jacques)
Lyrics:
Actions:
Buddy Bear friends, Buddy Bear friends.
Point to Buddy Bear.
Wave to Buddy Bear.
Hello there, hello there.
See how we can hop!
See how we can hop!
Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop!
Everyone hops.
Name song
Melody: Drala
Lyrics:
Actions:
Buddy Bear, Buddy Bear
Hold your hands in front of your body and
turn them up and then down continuously
(like a whisk) to the beat of the song.
Bu, Bu, Bu, Buddy Bear
Bu, Bu, Bu,
Bu, Bu, Bu,
Buddy Bear.
Hey!
Clap
Stretch your arms over your head.
The activity continues with you choosing a
child about whom the other children are
going to sing. The activity ends when you
have sung about all the children.
42
Buddy Bear runs
Melody: The wheels on the bus
Lyrics:
Actions:
Buddy Bear it runs,
runs round and round,
round and round,
round and round.
Buddy Bear it runs,
runs round and round,
We all run, run together!
Everyone runs among one another.
Say hello to each other!
Everyone walks among each other and says hello in different ways.
Start with giving each other handshakes a few times. Then give each other hugs or say hello with
your tummy or bum.
The adult is the one who identifies how everyone should say hello. At a later stage, the children can
suggest ways in which they would like to say hello.
43
OTHER COMMUNITY-FORMING ACTIVITIES
Buddy Bear’s game
Use Buddy Bear as a puppet. The children stand so they can see Buddy Bear.
The activity is about copying Buddy Bear’s movements, such as hopping, clapping, crawling, etc.
The adult demonstrates and explains what Buddy Bear is doing and the children do the same as
Buddy Bear.
You can expand the activity by having one of the children controlling Buddy Bear and explaining
what it is doing.
The children have gotten lost
The children lie on the floor and the adults place a large blanket over them, covering them
completely. The adults pretend the children have gotten lost and call out for them. The adults feel
the children under the blanket, lift it up and exclaim: “There you are!”
You can also try hiding Buddy Bear with some of the children and let the other children find them.
Buddy Bear gives a hug
The children must run from one wall to the other without being caught by Buddy Bear, which is
controlled by the adult. Buddy Bear gives the children who are caught a hug.
This is a great activity to do outdoors – between two trees, for example.
Counting troll
All the children squat down and tap on the floor while you say the rhyme: “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-1112, a troll came by, and it was happy.”
Everyone walks around acting like happy trolls, until the adult starts a new rhyme about another
feeling. It is a good idea to use feelings suggested by the children.
44
Feelings race
Talk to the children about the feelings illustrated on posters 10, 11, 12 and 13. Then hang the
posters with the four feelings up in different places, some distance apart.
[FAO designer: each of the four boxes below represents an image of a specific poster – the correct
poster should be inserted (instead of just the text)]
Afraid
10
Upset
11
Children
Children
Liva is very scared of dogs and can
Dayo is upset. He has just waved
feel it down to her bones when she
goodbye to his mum, who is going
sees a dog.
to work.
Her mum and dad
comfort her.
Angry
Sanaz is angry. She wants to paint
but the adults are saying that the
children need to have their fruit
snack first.
She always comes back later to
pick him up.
12
Children
Happy
Albert is happy. Today, he is going
home with his best friend for a
playdate.
13
Children
They always have fun together.
She can paint afterwards.
All the children stand together in the middle of the room and you tell a little story about someone
who felt afraid, for example. Then you say: “Everyone runs to afraid.”
When the children stand next to one of the posters, you also encourage them to show the feeling –
in this case look afraid/scared. It’s fine for the youngest day care children to participate even if they
don’t understand the rules. They learn from watching and following what the older children are
doing.
When the children have understood and become familiar with the activity, you can try simply
demonstrating the feeling with your body language.
45
I am so grumpy and angry today
You all say the rhyme and mimic the movements and facial expressions.
Rhyme:
“I am so grumpy and angry today.”
Actions:
Whisper the words while you bend forward and
show the sign for angry.
“I am so grumpy and angry today.”
Whisper the words a little louder while you bend
forward and show the sign for angry.
“I am so grumpy and angry today.”
Shout the words while you bend forward and show
the sign for angry.
So I walked over to my friend and
said:
Straighten up.
“Shall I punch you?”
Clench your fist and hit the palm of your other
hand, while looking grim.
“Shall I punch you?”
Clench your fist and hit the palm of your other
hand again, while looking grim.
But he just said: “Hello there!”
Smile and wave with one hand.
“Would you like to come over to my
house.”
Do a “come-over-here” gesture with your hand.
“Then we can play together!”
Make the sign for play.
Now he’s my best friend.
Make the sign for kind.
Picture of boy
Play
Clenched fists are
circling each other
Picture of girl
Angry
Clenched fist is shaken
in front of the body
Picture of boy
Kind
Fist strokes
the cheek
46
Buddy Bear, may we come home?
The adult stands in one end of the room, holding Buddy Bear. The children stand at the other end of
the room, holding their little teddy bears.
The children all shout in unison: “Buddy Bear, may we come home?”
Buddy Bear (the adult) replies: “Yes!”
The children ask: “How should we get home?”
Buddy Bear and the adult think hard about what moves the children must make in order to get
home, before whispering to each other and responding: “You have to crawl!”
Other optional answers could be: walk backwards, scoot forward on your bum, roll, tiptoe, hold each
other’s hands, crawl like a snake, swim, etc. This activity could be developed to allow one of the
children to stand with Buddy Bear.
Mirror game
Put the children into pairs. Have them facing each other. One of the two children gets into a position
which the other child then copies. They can choose standing, sitting or lying positions.
The little ones will need help coming up with a new position and copying each other. You can also
describe the different positions.
Shadow dance
Put the children into pairs. Have them standing opposite each other holding hands. Play massage
music from the CD. One of the children must now copy the other child’s gentle movements.
The children must work as a team to follow each other’s movements. You will need to help them in
the beginning. Once the children have practised for a bit, their moves sometimes evolve into a
lovely dance.
47
Big and small friends
When children do activities together, it generates a caring culture among them. As an example,
when a child has been helped by an older friend, she will want to be given that same task herself
when she gets older – and when she goes to preschool.
Creating a caring culture is important both within the day care and during the vulnerable transition to
preschool. In addition, this activity enables the older children to function as good role models for the
little ones.
It is an ideal activity for integrated institutions, where the day care children are the little friends and
the preschool children are the big ones.
Here is how:
You decide which children to pair up based on your professional experience of the children.
The older children are friends of the younger ones in various situations. The older children could be
walking buddies for the younger ones on outings, for example. They can help the little ones get their
coats on and climb onto the swing or slide on the playground outside.
Run rhythmics or massage sessions with the pairs. As an example, organise food days or play days
for the older and younger children combined.
48
CHAPTER 5: COLOUR IN BUDDY BEAR
Black and white image of Buddy Bear
to colour in
49