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The Sounds Of Music

© Gina Dronenburg

From the time they are babies, children show a great interest in the rhythmic sounds around them, especially music. As they grow, their interest turns into purposeful activities like dancing, marching, and any other types of moves they may adopt! (They are extrememly independent and creative at the toddler to preschool ages!)

Your role from the beginning is to expose them to as many different types of music as is possible. Try Waltzes, Country-Western, Classical, Marches, Modern Jazz, etc. Now for the best part, moving and dancing around the room with them! Be sure to grab them up, hold them tight, and move, move, move. They learn what the beats are this way. They might like the fast beats at an older age, and the slower beats at a younger age, but whatever they are exposed to will help them to move on their own at a later age. They learn to dance and move to the rhythm!

When you feel it is appropriate, use music and rhythmic movements to develope their coordination and strength. Have them march in step with other kids, it teaches them to play cooperatively. Let them pretend to be a bird soaring, or an alligator or snake slithering. This teaches them that it is great to use their imaginations! Let them choose the music they want and dance the way they want! This is a great self-esteem builder!

Get some musical noisemakers to enhance their experiences. Let them "try out" some tambourines, drums, shakers, sticks, bells, or any other instrument they can get their hands on! (We have a guitar that my 19 month old loves to strum and sing to!)

I wouldn't recommend putting them in a formal dance class at too early of an age, as they must first learn to enjoy and appreciate music and movement before there are set steps and routines to follow. (This freedom helps with their creativity!)

Jiggly Giggly

Choose a favorite song of yours and theirs as background music, and have them stand in front of you and shake whichever part of their bodies you call out. Make an "anatomy" lesson out of it by having them move that part of their body that you call out every 10 seconds or so. Start with their arms, legs, feet, and knees. Move onto their thigh, calf, elbow, etc. To change it around a little, instruct them to swing, touch, or kick. Once they can play the game, encourage them to call out parts of the body to move! Keep it uninhibited and silly! Join in! Let yourself go and giggle, giggle, giggle! (Great STRESS reliever for us Moms!)

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