Music Enrichment Activities At Home
What can I do with my infant, toddler, and preschooler?
March 29, 2010
Stay tuned!
March 22, 2010
Lullabies are a ritual that provides comfort and continuity in the frantic pace of day to day life. Children love to hear their caregivers voice, even if it's not perfectly on pitch or a little shaky. Singing a lullaby to your child helps your child to feel safe and secure. And it doesn't have to end in childhood. Older kids, tweens, and teens need to spend a little quiet time each day with their parents, talking to them, learning from them and bonding with them. While it may look different, it's no less important.
March 15, 2010
Draw the music! Find a famous classical piece on the internet, and listen together as a family. Then, get out some paper and instruct everyone to draw what they hear. Then share your music "pictures" with the whole family. The best part about this activity is that no one can be wrong in what they draw!
March 8, 2010
So much of children's music today is in a major tonality, meaning it sounds happy. This is great, but children also need to hear the minor tonality, meaning the music sounds sad. Hearing these contrasting tonalities helps children to understand the differences between major and minor music.
March 1, 2010
Music Together has declared March as "Sing with Your Child" Month. Traditionally, music in childhood represents comfort, love and community. Making music with your child creates everlasting bonds, something that you can do as easily as singing a simple song. Sing in your younger child's ear. Make up silly songs with your older child's help. Use music and singing to make lasting memories.
February 22, 2010
Children learn best through experiencing contrasts. Most music we hear today has a beat that makes us want to march. Allow your child to feel different rhythms by also listening to music that makes you want to waltz. You could also play some music that makes you want to swing dance.
February 15, 2010
Create music together through simple call and response play. Sing a simple two measure phrase and have your child sing it back. Do this several times, and then switch. Allow your child to sing something to you and you sing it back. The fun will never end!
February 8, 2010
Children need to be danced with, but they also need to be danced to. When you dance to your child, your child has the opportunity to dance for themselves or to copy your dancing. Small children who can't stand yet will watch you enjoy the music. Whether your child is big or small, you're showing your child that music is something fun and can be enjoyed for a lifetime. So put on your favorite tunes, and get dancing!
February 1, 2010
Infants and Toddlers should have music played for them and sung to them. This should include every type of genre, including children’s songs, classical music, jazz, folk and rock. Children should be encouraged to sing, clap their hands and move to music.
