Did you know that the first two notes to the song “Rain, Rain, Go Away” are the most natural pitches for children to sing? Try having some conversations on those two notes with your child. You will be surprised how naturally they flow into it, without having to be told! When your children seem to match you well, add in some other notes to make it more challenging. For example, instead of asking them what they would like for breakfast, sing the question to them! More often than not, they will sing the answer right back to you.
One of the most significant musical skills we can give children is the ability to keep a steady beat. This skill is so importantbecause research has found it to be linked to concentration, coordination, balance, the ability to self-soothe, and much more. You can help your child develop an inner beat while they are still toddlers. Put on some rhythmic music and march, tiptoe, jump or clap to the beat. If you are reading nursery rhymes, tap your child’s back to the beat of the poetry while you read. Teach your older child some of your favorite partner clapping games from childhood (do you all remember “Miss Mary Mac?”).
You can take an aural approach to bedtime stories! In our house, we love to read a good book, or two, or three, before bedtime. Often though, we will mix it up by either reading a story with no pictures or telling a story made up by mom or dad. Tonight, try reading your child a fairy tale, some poetry or tell them “Little Red Riding Hood” in your own words. Once you have established this as a regular thing, try reading them a chapter a night from “The Wind in the Willows”, “Charlotte’s Web” or one of your favorite books from childhood. Young children may not understand everything that is happening, but they learn to love the language, their imaginations take off by creating their own images in their heads, and you may be surprised at how well they follow along!
Children can learn to audiate very naturally. Try singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” with your child, and make up some very simple motions. Sing it a few times, gradually taking the singing away, but leaving the motions intact. Try singing the first four phrases with just motions and see if your child can sing the last phrase with you at the correct time. Watch his face while he “sings” in his head. It is so precious to see them make music all their own.