I like using hearts to represent beats. I use hearts that are laminated with magnets on the back. I stick them to the board, and students pat their knees once for every heart.
Then I use hearts with notes and rests on them. As I rearrange them on the board, students clap the rhythms.
I also use this sheet for students to point to the hearts as we sing or chant various songs.
Another resource I use is this slideshow when we discuss how we encounter steady beat in everyday life.
