Rhythm · Music · Movement · Participation
Afro Drumming & Movement for Children
A playful encounter with West African rhythm, instruments and movement, where children become part of the music.
- Who it is for
- Kindergartens, schools, libraries, festivals, cultural centres and children's cultural programmes
- Age
- 3–6
- Format
- Interactive live music, rhythm, instruments, movement and participation · 2 musicians · can be adapted for kindergarten and younger primary-school groups
- Artists
- Solo Diarra, Adama Barry
Afro Drumming & Movement for Children is an interactive musical experience where children are invited to discover West African rhythms, instruments and movement together with musicians Solo Diarra and Adama Barry.
Through live music, rhythm, call-and-response, movement and play, Solo and Adama introduce children to instruments and musical traditions from West Africa. Solo brings the sounds of djembe and ngoni, while Adama introduces the distinctive sound of the Fulani flute.
The experience gradually moves from listening and discovery into active participation. Children get to try child-friendly instruments, explore rhythm together and experience how movement itself can create sound.
About the programme
Afro Drumming & Movement for Children creates a warm, playful and inclusive space where children encounter West African music through listening, playing and moving.
The session begins with live music and an introduction to rhythm and melody. Solo Diarra uses instruments including djembe and ngoni, while Adama Barry brings the sound of the Fulani flute. The musicians use simple musical exchanges and call-and-response to draw the children into the experience.
As the programme develops, the children become active participants. They are invited to explore a collection of child-friendly instruments including small djembes, small ngonis, handmade dun dun drums and African shakers. They can try rhythms themselves, answer musical patterns and discover how different sounds work together.
Movement is an equally important part of the programme. Children get to try African dance belts and are guided through simple movements and dancing, experiencing rhythm not only as something they hear and play, but something they can feel through the whole body.
The programme follows a gentle progression from listening and musical discovery to instruments, movement and shared participation. It can be adapted to different rooms, group sizes and the needs of the children.
The aim is not simply to demonstrate instruments, but to create a shared musical encounter in which the children become part of the music.
Instruments: djembe, ngoni, Fulani flute, small djembes, small ngonis, handmade dun dun drums, African shakers and other child-friendly percussion.
Artistic team
- Solo Diarra: djembe, ngoni, percussion, vocals and musical facilitation
- Adama Barry: Fulani flute, instruments, vocals, musical facilitation and movement
Solo Diarra comes from a griot family in Burkina Faso and works with West African musical traditions including djembe and ngoni. Adama Barry comes from the Fulani cultural tradition of Burkina Faso and works as a musician, flautist, vocalist and storyteller. Both have extensive experience creating interactive musical experiences for children.
Experience and presentation history
The programme has been presented in kindergartens, libraries and children's cultural events across Eastern Norway, as well as at Barna Verdensdager and Førdefestivalen.
In 2026, the programme was selected for an Oslo-wide kindergarten tour of 20 performances, bringing the experience directly to children in kindergartens across the city.
