Music is an amazing thing. It calms a crying baby. It captures a toddler’s attention. It provides opportunities for even very young children to communicate with an adult, long before they can talk. It encourages the very youngest babies to look and to listen. And, above all, it is fun.
Your first musical moments will be shared simply when you rock, sing or use a soft, musical voice to soothe or communicate with your baby. Hold them where they can study your face and enjoy some simple action rhymes as you cuddle and move them. Touch toes and fingers as you sing or gently move the baby’s arms to the rhythm.
As your baby grows more responsive, pause for them to make sounds in the silences you leave and then start a simple ‘baby conversation’ by echoing the sounds back to them. You will be surprised how long you will be able to keep this going and it is an invaluable step in learning communication skills later on.
Older babies and toddlers can be held and sung to as you dance and march to music. Introduce a wide range of world music early on – either in recordings or using your own voice and rhythm.
Look for action rhymes which teach your child about the world – learning body parts, early counting skills, simple position words like ‘up’ and ‘down’ – usually words are easier to learn when they are linked to actions and movements.
Try music that reflects different moods and paces throughout the day – quiet music for settling down times and busy music for doing and moving. Try not to have music or TV playing the whole time or your child will soon learn to ignore it.
We all get better at singing by simply doing more if it. Your child will love whatever you do, regardless of how well or how badly you think you can sing! Raps, chants and spoken rhymes are attention-getting and fun as well. Whatever you do, try to do it with energy and confidence and keep the experience fun for you both.
Look for chances of getting together with other parents, carers and their children to share music together. This allows the children to get used to sharing fun in a social group long before pre-school. Music appeals to all ages and so it is a perfect activity for family groups to share.
Because music is so enjoyable and catches their attention, children can develop all kinds of skills through it. For example, musical approaches are especially helpful for children who need extra encouragement in their general development, language or learning. It also provides a ‘medium’ for communication even if a child cannot use language.
For toddlers and slightly older children, try using or making simple percussion instruments for shaking, beating or scratching. Allow them to experiment with the sounds and to join in with musical games from this website.
Related programmes:
Zingzillas
,
Boogie Beebies
,
Balamory
,
Tikkabilla
Related web activities: