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