How to Sing With Toddlers

Sing. Sing a song. Sing with your children. Sing for fun!

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Musical Instruments
• Stereos
• Tape Or CD Players
• Children's Music

1. Listen to different kinds of music. Move to the music by dancing, marching, or wiggling in silly ways. Get your child interested in music from the day you bring your baby home by making music part of your everyday life.
2. Play or sing the same songs over and over again. Repetition is the easiest and fastest way to teach your child a song.
3. Use songs to initiate transitions in your toddler's day. For breakfast sing, "If you're hungry and you know it clap your hands, sit at the table, give mommy a kiss ' " Sing clean-up songs when you are picking up toys. Choose favorite songs to sing at naptime and bedtime.
4. Act out songs while you sing. "Itsy Bitsy Spider" is a common song to act out while you are singing. Make up your own actions for songs such as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" or sign the alphabet while singing the ABC's.
5. Buy a cassette tape or CD to listen to while in the car. There are several sing-a-long tapes available for every age group. Playing and singing children's music while traveling is also a good way to entertain bored children.
6. Include music in physical play. Move while the music is playing and freeze when the music stops. Teach rhythm by clapping and marching in time to music. Practice fast and slow by singing at different speeds.
7. Sing. Sing songs with your toddler when you see things that remind you of a song. Sing when you are walking, shopping or cleaning. Make music a part of your toddler's life by making music a part of your life.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy a tape player and cassette tapes for your child to play with.
• Collect different types of instruments for your child to play with.
• Talk about different instruments you can hear when listening to music.
• You may want to stay away from chaotic styles of head-banging rock, grunge and rap. Some animal studies show altered brain development due to prolonged exposure to chaotic, discordant music.