Lets make music

Musical play should be regarded as an essential ingredient in the life of every child because of its ability to bring about a sense of enjoyment, freedom, creativity and uninhibited movement.

Whether it’s playing rhythm games, chanting, dancing, or singing soft gentle songs to calm and settle tired babies, music can become a natural part of family life. Children are interested in the words of songs, the singing and the actions. They love to participate and will delight in your musical involvement.

Question and answer songs are fun and can be played in the car, inside, outside or anywhere. “What’s in the box?” “Jack’s stripy socks.” “Who wants a banana?” “I want a banana.” “Who is ready for lunch?” “We are ready for lunch, munch, munch, munch, sandwiches for lunch.” Children quickly respond to this kind of musical play and become highly skilled at making up their own chants and musical questions.

Echo songs and games help children to listen, remember and create their own echo songs or games. “We’re going on a journey” (echo) “Where will we go?” (echo) “What will we see?” (echo) “What will we hear?” “I can hear a bird” (echo) “I can hear a dog bark” (echo) “I can hear a fire engine” (echo) “let’s copy the sounds ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.”Play pitch games: up, up, up, up, up…, down, down, down, down, down. (Use the first five pitches of the major scale: doh, ray, me, fah, soh).

Through musical play children explore their world and develop physical and social skills. Explore body percussion sounds together by patting out rhythms on the body. Explore clapping games, and stamping feet, patting knees, tummy, shoulders, head. Go on a sound hunt and find stones, sticks, shells, leaves to tap in time to a chant: “Listen to the sound of my tapping sticks, copy my sound, copy my sound”. Explore kitchen utensils and have a kitchen band. Play loud, soft, fast, slow. Start and end with slow calming music as children find it difficult to calm themselves.

•    Sing action songs and nursery rhymes

•    Make up special songs about your child

•    Dance together to a wide variety of music

•    Take time to listen to the sounds of nature

•     Repeat songs often as children learn through repetition

•    Sing, say, move and play

•    Have quiet listening times together. “What can we hear?”

•    Have fun

By Julie Wylie