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How to Incorporate Music in the Home for Your Infants and Toddlers

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Many educators and parents—maybe even you—are aware of the incredible benefits of music on young children for their intellectual, emotional, physical, and social development. But some caregivers are unsure of how to best introduce children to music and make it a part of their lives.


The good news is that it’s easy to incorporate music into your child’s day. Read on to learn about different types of music and how to use each one to guide and inspire your child.


Orchestral Music


It may be a myth that listening to Mozart makes babies smarter, but it is generally accepted by scholars that listening to music of any kind boosts a child’s development. An extra benefit of orchestral music is that it is abstract enough to allow for children to imagine and pretend as they listen.


“Young people will glean startling and equally valid things from learning the way others hear music, opening doors to worlds inside themselves and strengthening empathy and imaginative collaboration. … A composition with a name such as Hall of the Mountain King is therefore not a blueprint or a portrait, but rather an invitation to enter into the world of the imagination through sound. Sonic abstraction offers children the chance to move into a unique world where they are encouraged to express themselves, make their own music, and to make the music their own.” https://museacademybk.com/musings/music-and-cognitive-development


Here are some examples of Classical orchestral music with themes that might interest your child:


  • The Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saëns (Move like the animals portrayed in the songs)

  • Hoedown” by Aaron Copland or the “William Tell” overture by Gioachino Rossini (Have your child pretend to ride a horse, or bounce your baby on your knee)

  • “A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra” by Benjamin Britten (Listen for different instrument families)

  • “The Nutcracker” suite by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (Have your child dance or act out scenes from the ballet)

  • "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3" by J.S. Bach (An upbeat piece great for energetic children to run and jump to)

  • “Peer Gynt” Suite No. 1 by Edvard Greig (Try inventing stories with your child while listening)

  • “The Four Seasons” by Antonio Vivaldi (Listen while on a nature walk or playing outside)

  • “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev (a musical story about a brave boy and his encounter with a wolf)

  • “The Planets” by Gustav Holst (Based on the planets in our solar system and their astrological characters)

  • “Lark Ascending” by Ralph von Williams (Based on lark song)


Playtime Songs


You can enhance your child’s pretend play by singing a song related to the scenario your child is acting out. This reciprocal interaction can help your child feel that you care about what they’re doing, as well as help your child connect their play to “real life.” You could use ideas like the following:


  • If your child is playing with a doll, try singing “Rock-a-bye Baby”

  • If your child is playing with a train set, try singing “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”

  • If your child is pretending to bake, try singing “Pat-a-Cake”

  • If your child is playing with blocks, try singing “London Bridge is Falling Down”

  • If your child is playing with a tea set, try singing “Polly, Put the Kettle On”

  • If your child is playing in the tub or with a boat, try singing “Motorboat, Motorboat” or “The Big Ship Sails on the Alley Alley Oh”


Narrative Songs


Children thrive in routines that are both structured and interesting. Narrative songs can help build those routines. Singing the same song every time you start or finish a specific activity—such as a nap or a play date—helps your child feel grounded and transition smoothly (Hemmeter et al, “Planning Transitions to Prevent Challenging Behavior”, Young Children May 2008).

Pique your child’s interest in daily tasks—such as getting ready for the day or picking up their toys—by singing little ditties about what your child is doing. You can even customize the lyrics to reflect your child’s name or the specifics of their task. Your child might enjoy narrative songs like these:


  • “Good Morning to You” (Sing when your child wakes up to start the morning routine)

  • Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands” (Change they lyrics and actions to match your child’s routine, e.g. “Brush, brush, brush brush your teeth / Brush your teeth, Eliza”)

  • “The Ants Go Marching” (Sing when it is time to leave the room or area)

  • “Criss Cross Applesauce” (Sing when you would like your child to sit quietly on the floor)

  • “Mary Wore Her Red Dress” (Substitute with your child’s name and clothing item, e.g. “Carter wore his gray sneakers”)

  • “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” (Insert your child’s current activity into the verse, e.g. “This is the way we wash our hands”)


Finger Plays


Children love to engage with music by performing actions with their hands and fingers. Don’t get worried or frustrated if your child can’t do the actions correctly at first; their fine motor skills are still developing, and finger plays will speed this process along. Find examples of songs or chants with finger plays here and below.


  • “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider”

  • “Where is Thumbkin?”

  • “Here is the Beehive”

  • “Fly Away, Little Birdie”

  • “Johnny, Johnny”


Vocal Plays


Vocal plays provide examples of the different sounds that the voice can make. It is both fun and beneficial for young children to experiment with their voice. It builds their pitch range for both singing and speech, and it helps them differentiate between sounds both aurally and in their own bodies, which improves their speech development.


  • Chant or sing songs like “Two Little Blackbirds” that display opposites in pitch, speed, volume, etc.

  • Read stories using distinct voices for the various characters

  • Make animal noises

  • Sing the same song multiple times and change the pitch or inflection of your voice each time

  • Mimic your child's funny noises or make your own funny noises


Lullabies


Children often feel distressed when they must separate from their caregiver to sleep, and music can be a grounding part of your child’s naptime and bedtime routines. But don’t be tempted to play a song from your phone or iPod. Studies show that nothing calms a young child better than being sung to by a parent, and that interaction is relational practice that will help your child grow their capacity for communion with you and others.


So what makes a lullabye? Lullabies tend to have a predictable melody and a slow tempo, making them particularly effective at soothing your child. Feel free to try the songs listed below, along with any lullabies you remember from your childhood.



Conclusion


Starting and solidifying a habit takes some work, but once it is part of your routine, the habit becomes second nature. You can make music a joyful pattern in your home. The resulting blessings in your child’s life will be well worth the effort.



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