Recorder Karate Idea Bank

I have my students echo me on a rhythm by saying "du." Then we immediately play it on our recorders (whatever note you want them to be playing, I change mine in each warm-up so they practice different fingerings and realize that tonguing is not fingering). This has been amazing with my students. They tongue much better after this warm-up.

Also, one of my students said, "You know, the rhythm is what we tongue." I hadn't thought of it that way, but it works for my kids. Once they made that connection, they have tongues better when we are playing songs (even when they are focusing on pitches and reading pitches on a staff).