Summer is a time for music. Whether music is a lullaby or a hip hop tune, music delights and encourages children to move. Music can calm and relax children or can rouse them to move energetically. Music experiences can contribute to children’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development in a variety of ways.

When your child does this…                                                                 Your child is learning…

Holds hands and dances with another person                                  about relationships

Plays a rhythm instrument                                                                    that s/he can initiate ideas

Sings and dances                                                                                  the pleasure of music and moving

Claps slowly then quickly                                                                    concepts of slow and fast

Keeps the beat with hands or feet                                                      patterns

 Some ways to enjoy music at your house this summer:

·        Dance together even if only parts of the body are used and vary your movements.

·        Expose your child to many different types of music including folk, classical, jazz, rock, etc. Most libraries loan out CDs

·        Make up songs about family events and sing them with your child. Anything can be sung to the London Bridges tune.

·        Make homemade instruments. A variety of shakers can be made from containers such as Pringles can filled with rice, buttons etc. Drums can be made out of pans or oatmeal boxes. Pencils make good drum sticks.

·        Try to go to at least one live concert with your child.

Susan Jakob Ph.D Early Childhood