Singing Helps Young Children

Singing is a wonderful and fun way of interacting with young children.  Rhythm and movement are a part of life. Infant brains are sensitive to the human voice and to musical sounds. Young children relate to the rhythm and flow of music with their whole bodies. Songs with movements are especially appealing and useful. For non-verbal and hearing impaired children, the movements are the musical experience. Children love to tap and clap while they listen to music and while they sing! Check out some children’s songs CD’s from your local library.
Singing Rhymes

deer are here....

   Rhymes, finger plays, and word games can be very motivating.  How many words can you and your grandchild come up with that rhyme with “bat”? How about “can”? Of course, made up words count too! The goal is to have fun with rhyming.  Did you know that children who have a strong sense of how our language works are more apt to be successful readers? The importance of talking and singing a lot with your youngsters cannot be overemphasized. Our brains may be pre-programmed to relate to music.
 The following is a simple chant to enjoy together. Feel the beat on your knees, on your knees (tapping knees with hands). Feel the beat on your shoulders, on your shoulders (Take turns singing and tapping different parts of the body.). Babies like this, too.
Singing Teaches Concepts
 At home families can help teach important concepts. Make up your own tune. A simple song/poem about water can help develop an appreciation of this valuable resource. It’s called “Water Water,

Water, water...everywhere

Everywhere” Water water everywhere and not a drop to spare. Water in the ground and water in the air. Though it may evaporate it never goes away. Stays on top of mountains, melts and floats into the bay. Refrain: Animals need water; people need it too. Keep it clean for me and I’ll keep it clean for you. Second verse: Now you can take a shower in it, you can wash your hair. You can wash your clothes or wash your teddy bear. Really clean water is getting kind of rare. If we want to save it, people have to care. Families can make up their own melody for the words.
    Singing is a great way to transition from one activity to another. You can sing Barney’s famous “Clean up Song” or make up your own when it’s time to do anything. Music gets children’s attention.
   Music can be exciting, motivating and also soothing.  Often babies and preschoolers love to hear the same familiar songs before nap and bedtime.  After reading a favorite book, turn off the lights and help your little ones relax with a few quiet songs. 
Guest writer is Nancy von Burske, Montessori early childhood teacher.
Photos: Fran Darling: fdarling fotos
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Kindergarten Feels Like First Grade

There was a time when kindergarteners went to school to learn how to share, stand in line, and sit on a group rug patiently listening to a story. Academic skills were introduced gradually. Now, caregivers are expected to work on reading readiness skills before children begin school. Kindergarten curriculum feels like First Grade used to. It has deeper content and expectations. So, how can we incorporate literacy (listening, speaking, reading, writing) readiness activities that support preschool learning in kid-friendly, everyday ways?

First Speaking, Then Reading

   Much information is available about the importance of reading aloud to children from birth on. It is the number one thing families can do help children learn to read. Daily read aloud time builds lasting relationships and provides story lessons filled with rich vocabulary. Repetition, rhythm and rhyme of familiar words are the next valuable skill builders that support beginning reading and spelling. Readiness skills involving spoken language and phonemic awareness (knowing the sounds letters make) can be worked on any time or place families talk to children. 

Begin With Rhymes

  Recite a nursery rhyme like “Hickory, Dickory Dock” and see if children can echo the lines. With older preschoolers ask how many words they hear in a line. Can they tell you that “Hickory Dickory Dock” has three words and “The mouse ran up the clock” has six words? Help them count by holding up one finger as you say each word in a line. Then, point out that the words “clock” and “dock” rhyme, as do “one” and “run.”

 Recite the poem “Jack and Jill Went up the Hill.” Ask children to tell you words that rhyme in the poem   If they cannot say two rhyming words, supply the words, like “Jill” and “hill” and ask, “Do they rhyme”?

  If this is easy for your youngsters, move on to games where they must provide a word that rhymes with one you say. Try the word “fly”. Can they come up with ”by”, “try, or “cry”? How about “me”, “he”, “we”? Can they make a connection with the sounds? Each time they can provide a rhyming word, tell them that words rhyme when they have the same last sounds so the learner associates the word rhyme with what it means.

 Have children listen for the like sounds at the end of the words and say them. “Fly, by and cry all say “I” at the end.  Keep it playful and short. Use humorous poems. Incorporate a verse or rhyme daily. Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes books are perfect sources. Encouraging children to memorize and recite pieces independently helps increase memory skills and attention span. They are useful for car rides and waiting with children.

Photos: Mark Nowicki

en:Blanche Fisher Wright's cover artwork for the Rand McNally 1916 book The Real Mother Goose

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest