How to Teach a Child to Sing

Singing is a wonderful emotional and physical outlet, in addition to being a useful vocation for people that may want to be in the theatre, a church choir, opera or band. Because a child’s voice is not fully developed until adulthood, it is important never to strain their vocal chords by pushing the “chest” voice or making them sing too high or too low. With a little caution and good sense, however, you can work with your child to instill a musicality and love of expression at a young age. Here are a few suggestions to get your child singing.

Things You'll Need

• Piano, tape deck or CD player
• Sheet music

Instructions

1. If you play piano, discover your child’s natural vocal range by vocalizing him up and down a C Major scale on an open “ah” sound. If you do not have a piano, use a pitch pipe or other instrument to find middle “C,” and vocalize him accapella.

2. Encourage proper singing posture--relaxed, hands hanging down by his sides, diaphragm lifted, shoulders down, head steady. Have him take a few deep breaths and slowly let them out on “ha.” The sound should start on a pitch, and taper off, like a yawn.

3. Place your hand on your child’s diaphragm, and ask her to breathe in, pushing your hand out as she does. She should not lift her shoulders when taking in a deep breath. Rather, ask her to imagine that the area just above her stomach is a balloon that she will fill with air. Have her let the breath out slowly on a “hiss” sound, and tell her to shrink the “balloon” as she lets the air out. Gradually increase the length of time she can hold the “hiss.”

4. Have your child place his own hand on his diaphragm, and tell him to feel the support as he sings an elongated “ah.” Move him up and down the scale slowly on an “ah” sound, and let him hold each note as long as her can. Point out any tension in his neck or shoulders, and ask him to relax, and focus on his diaphragm supporting the air instead.

5. Sing a pointed, nasal “we” sound to your child, and ask him to think of his sinus area as a mask. Tell him to “aim” the sound at his mask area as he sings “we” up and down the scale. He should feel a vibration in his nose, and the sound will be extremely nasal and abrasive. Supported by the diaphragm, there should be no tension in the neck or shoulders as he sings, but the sound will be brighter and more focused. Ask him to think of the sound he makes as a lazar beam shooting out of his nose and across the room. Remind him that this is only an exercise to help him understand the mask area and that it should not sound “good,” just loud and nasal.

6. If your child appears to be pitch-challenged, don’t point it out, but try to gently guide her to the correct pitch using the piano, your own voice or a pitch pipe. If she seems totally unable to tell the difference between one pitch and another, you may want to postpone the vocal lessons for a while until she has a better ear for music. Some people remain tone-deaf well into their adulthood, but exposing your child on a regular basis to simple, tonal music will increase her chances of becoming pitch-aware.

7. Using a Major scale, vocalize you child daily for 10 minutes or so, using each vowel sound first and then asking her to gently add a series of consonants before her vocalization, starting with the softer consonants, such as M, S, W, L, R and gradually adding in the harsher ones, like T, B, F, K. Caution your child not to place too much emphasis on the harder consonants, but rather, allow them to open the door to a wide vowel. “B-AAAAAA-AHHHHHH,” “K-AAAAAA-AHHHHH,” etc. Do a “we we we we we” vocalization with your child, moving up and down the scale and focusing the sound through the mask.

8. Choose two or three simple, melodic songs for your child to choose from each lesson, and either accompany him on the piano, or have a Karaoke CD or accompaniment tape, either purchased or created for him. Work on a few bars of the song only at the beginning, focusing on breath placement and support, as well as the arc of the phrasing, proper enunciation and pitch. Ask him to speak the words without the music to find the meaning behind the lyric. Ask him what he thinks the song is trying to communicate, and have him sing the song again with his new perspective.

9. When your child is vocally comfortable and feels good about the song she is working on, ask her to sing it all the way through without stopping. Use the completed song as an exercise to be completed after the vocal warmup at the next “lesson,” and gradually add to your child’s repertoire until her confidence and abilities increase.

Tips & Warnings

• Play sentimental, melodic music as often as possible around your child to increase her tonal awareness and sensitivity to music’s emotionality. Play rhythm games by banging on the table with your hands and having her emulate your beat. Have her try singing the same song in different styles and with different volumes. Watch musicals that have kids in them to inspire your little one. No matter how she sounds, always praise her. A little vocal confidence goes a long way in making a singer out of a sow’s ear.

• Never strain a child’s developing voice by too many loud, repetitive or uncomfortably high or low vocalizations. Do not expect your young child to “belt” out a tune. Her voice is not ready, and improper singing could actually cause damage to her vocal chords. Instead, use her “mix” voice, supported by proper breathing and focused outward from her facial mask area.

Resources

• More on Teaching Kids to Sing