Call and Response

• Test the skills of your egg shaker players with a Simon Says style game. Start the game off by asking everyone to stand while you play a simple three shake rhythm with your egg shaker. Ask those participating to respond in time with the exact same shake. Increase the difficulty of your rhythms one beat at a time. Listen closely and disqualify any players whose shakes are incorrect or off time. Players who have been disqualified will be asked to sit down. Speed up the tempo of your beats to add an increased level of difficulty until you only have two players left standing. Announce a final winner and invite them to lead everyone in the next round of play. This game trains percussionists to listen closely and remember the patterns and tempos.
  
  

Freestyle

• Play music with a rhythm section that is appropriate for the skill level of the percussionist. Ask each member of the group to follow the rhythm of the music and add a percussion solo with their egg shake when they are comfortable with the timing. Choose a variety of music styles and allow each musician to have a turn to play along with the piece by themselves. This activity allows the players to feel like they are a part of the music and gives them the confidence that they will be able to participate in making music. Encourage creative play and exploration of the different sounds the egg shakers can make. Ask the people who are not playing to listen to how the percussive rhythms of the shake compliment some styles of music better than others.
  
  

Pass it On

• Arrange all your egg shaker percussionists in an inward facing circle. Pass out enough shakers for each player to hold one in each hand. Have someone start by shaking a basic rhythm with their left hand and then repeating the same rhythm with their right. The participant sitting to the first player's right will then copy the simple rhythm with their left hand and then add a change when they shake the rhythm with their right. This will continue on while keeping time as each percussionist copies what is passed to them and then adds their own style. The beat will travel around the circle and rhythmic ideas of each individual will be shared with the group. This activity promotes the dynamic of working together and challenging each other in the musical arena.
  
  See the link in Resources to learn how to make your own egg shaker.