Music and Movement

Just like exercise, young children need music every day. When adults turn on any kind of music or sing, young children naturally move and sing along. Latest research shows the links between music and reading-readiness in young children. Here are some suggestions to help you interact through music with your children and grandchildren the same way you do with language interactions.
Materials:
All kinds of music cardboard and plastic containers paper towel tubes small ball wooden spoons
What to do:
Music activities require neither specific skills nor special competence. Adults and children can enjoy peppy music in the morning and relaxing soft music at lunch, during car rides, before naps and bedtimes.
Marching Band and Exercise
John Phillip Sousa had it right! Sing a march and get moving. If you don’t have marching music, go to www.youtube.com, and search for your favorite college band. Once you have the music, make some instruments. Drums are most popular and easiest to make. Find boxes, plastic containers, and wooden spoons.
The largest box can be a big bass drum. Smaller ones can be snare drums. Listen to the beat and drum together. Drum soft, loud, fast and slow. Try a kazoo (about $1). You can make a homemade kazoo by folding a piece of wax paper over the tooth edge of a comb and humming through the paper. For a trumpet, cover one end of a paper towel roll with wax paper and secure it with a rubber band. Punch a row of holes along one side of the roll with a pen tip. Hum into the open end while covering and uncovering hole to produce different sounds. To make chimes, tie washers on to a ruler and play with a spoon.
Pick up the drums and pretend to be called onto the football field. Marching is great exercise. March right, left, backwards, and turn around. Stop by a football game to watch the band or catch a band practice. Many cities and schools have band concerts you can attend through the year. 

Illustration by Mark Nowicki