Music at Home - Part 1, gave you a few ideas, in Part 2, we’ll do a short sample music session. You can always extend this session by following your child's lead for movement, dancing, and singing. Repetition is key for developing internal beat.
Remember It should be music that’s fun for you and your child. This is just a sample to show how you can take simple tunes and chants you already know. Feel free to change any of the songs in this sample. It's really just for you to get the idea of mixing it up. Use a variety of songs, tempos, and movements. It’s fun to pick a theme. My theme is night time. A link to a video of the session is at the end of this post.
Hello Song
(the sample is short and sweet. It’s all you really need. Feel free to add in names of family, pets, etc. Your family can make up your own or change the words to a song like row, row, row your boat)
Chant
“Star light, Star Bright”
Song to Sing
Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Music to Listen To The Mozart Variations
(pretend to be a star and move to the music. The variations are fun and fast. You can tell your child that this is where the melody they know came from and that Mozart wrote his own music as a child. I would try to listen and dance to the melody plus the first 3 variations – that would take you to about 2 minutes on the link recording – you can always listen to the others next time. There are 12 variations in all. If you have small bells, they are fun to dance with, but not at all necessary.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS7yiD6cz8A
Night Sounds
(ask your child what they might hear at night – maybe you can even go outside, or at least look out a window at the night sky.)
Sound of Crickets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-UWXylsgag
Free Dance - Pick a fun animal song. The link to the one I used is below.
What Does the Fox Say? (Here is a link for the song, not recommending the video, just play the song to dance to. If you have a scarf it can be tucked in pants as a tail. It’s a goofy song and there is a silly book of it as well.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE
Fox Sounds (Here’s what the fox really says.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0zPnwGCSw0
Now a Lullaby or Quiet Song to rock to
(Sing any one you like. You child can sing with you and rock their stuffed animal or doll to sleep. I’ll use one by Woody Guthrie called Goodnight little Arlo. If you use this one just put in your child’s name, your child can put in their stuffed animals name, or sing to family members and pets.)
Pick an ending song you can use every time. Repetition is important in learning music and building the rhythmic skills used in language development.
Where Does the Sun Go
(One of mine, use it or pick your own. Feel free to make up your own verses. It’s fun to find words that rhyme with your child.)
I hope this gives you a basic outline you can use, substituting in any songs or themes you like. For a recording of me going through this session, songs and all, go to…
https://vimeo.com/407002685
