Today’s printable is a playful little set to accompany the folk song El Coqui. If you haven’t learned the song or downloaded the free song card yet, make sure to click here!
When printing out this set, pay extra attention to the printing instructions. The first page only requires one copy, but the second page requires 6 copies, so that there are enough leaves to play the game. After printing and cutting the pieces of this set, I’d recommend laminating for durability, especially for young children and classroom use. This set will also store nicely in an envelope or a quart-sized baggie. One of these days I’ll have to show you how I have started to organize my folk song play sets, but in essence it involves a binder, page protectors, and alphatabs.
This game (which is invented [aka not traditional to the song]) is reminiscent of a “Don’t Eat Pete” type of game. The “it” child closes their eyes while the rest of the children decide which leaf to hide the coqui under as everyone sings the song. At the end of the song, the it child opens their eyes and begins to select leafs to pick up. If the child begins to pick up the leaf hiding the coqui, the children softly say, “Coqui! Coqui! Coqui!”, sounding like a chorus of little tree frogs. Play begins again with a new child.
For very young children, it is wonderful to simply have this out as an invitation to play, creating a rain forest they can touch and hold and play with as you sing the song together. Maybe they can even start to hide the tree frog and then find it again at the end of the song. Or you can begin to try the game with fewer leaves. Lots of adaption ideas to suit the needs of your child.
For any version you choose to play, I would make your room as rain forest-y as possible. Dim the lights, turn on coqui noises (youtube has many options), and possibly set up pictures or figurines of other animals found in the rain forests of Puerto Rico. Sometimes I like to use playsilks to create grass, rivers, etc. As I mentioned in my last post, giving the children the context for the folk songs we are sharing with them opens up the experience and creates a truly authentic learning moment.
Since my last post, I also purchased two books about coquies that I’ll share with you. The first was The Coquies Still Sings by Karina Nicole Gonzalez and Krystal Quiles. I’m going to be honest, I sobbed when I read this. Woof. Beautiful illustrations and an important view into the cultural importance of the coquies in Puerto Rico, as well as the very real and lasting damage caused by the hurricane just a few years ago. Reading the description of the danger and devastation caused by the hurricane from a child’s perspective absolutely wrecked me. I would definitely recommend the book, but just be aware that it comes with a cry warning.
The second book was Taino Tales: The Legend of Coqui by Vicky Weber and Olha Melnyk. As the title suggests, this was a fascinating view into the legend on the origins of coquies in Puerto Rico, and was a wonderful cultural artifact to round out my research. Vicky Weber is Puerto Rican and I loved reading this short book. It is a part of a series of other legends from Puerto Rico.
So many ways to learn about these tiny little frogs! I hope you enjoy singing the folk song El Coqui, and let me know if you print and use this play set!
Click Here to Download the Free Playset
Happy Singing! -Lauren