Musical Development
We’ve looked at using music for quiet time and using music to build emergent literacy skills, but today we’re going to look at making music the center of play. Using music to engage your little one in play is the main message of Laptime Songs for Mommies. The energy in an upbeat song is contagious, not just for our little ones, but for us as well!
It’s easy to get up and move around to songs like “Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Another way to incorporate music into play is to use songs to help you teach games to your little ones. We had a fantastic experience this week with this. We listened to Aaron Nigel Smith’s Simon Says
What music do you turn on when it’s time to play? A comment on today’s post is an extra entry in this week’s giveaway!
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We often use music in our home to lull the girls to sleep. Actually, we use it when we’re not at home too! Especially on late night car rides. Over the years we’ve established a pretty solid set of songs the girls like and we know the words too. We chose slower songs with messages of love, comfort and security. The girls seem to melt away into sleep hearing these classics. I’ve often caught Brent falling asleep to them too! Okay, I’ll be honest, I’ve nodded off a few times myself.
Music has the ability to set the mood. This works both to quiet down and to wake up our little ones. Elli is proving to be such a cuddle bug when she wakes up from a nap. She insists on taking her blanket with her when she gets out of bed and then sitting on my lap all wrapped up for quite some time. Sammi was a bit of a cuddle bug, too, back in the day. I made up a song about “My Cuddle Bug” that I had completely forgotten until Brent sang it last week to Elli. So I thought I’d share a video of Elli and I cuddling while I sang her that song.
Like I said on Monday, out little ones love to hear US sing, even if we don’t know the words or tune, even if we make up a song as we go along. Some tender memories for me are centered around times that we have randomly burst into song because it matched our activity or mood. Don’t be afraid to croon your own lullaby when you can’t think of a single song.
But, in case you want a few ideas, here are some of our favorites to sing:
- Hush Little Baby
- Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
- I am Like a Star
- Jesus Once Was a Little Child
- For the Beauty of the Earth
What are your quiet time favorites? A comment here counts as an extra entry for this week’s giveaway. Make sure you comment over here, too!
Amber’s note: We were first introduced to Bari Koral’s music when asked to review her new CD Rock and Roll Garden (out today!) I fell in love with her sound and her mission. Totally starstruck I gathered my courage and asked her to give us her take on kids music, play and the relationship with have with the children in our lives. I just love how Bari’s personality comes through in her typing so I’ve left it just the way she sent it to me.
Bari Koral Photo by Megan Moloy
Me: Why did you make the switch to kids’ music?
Bari: i was on the road for a very long time, making a living with my “adult” music. i did sell cds, but my main income was by appearances, so in other words- i had to travel to make money. after many many years of this i was starting to take a good look at my life. i had no relationship, i thought maybe i’d like to have a child one day, and here i was, in fargo, ND AGAIN, how was i going to have a child when i was never home to have a relationship? and i just craved having some kind of settling feeling.
around this time my little niece was about 4 or 5 years old and there were some songs of my she was obsessed with. that she just wanted to hear over and over again. i was wondering- why these songs? she did have a knack for a great melody though! she always seemed drawn to what I also agreed where the strongest tunes on the “adult” albums.
armed with this knowledge, and craving a change in my life- i was inspired by some friends in the music business- and one in the family music business to try and write “pop tunes” specifically for children. so i went to a cabin in the woods and tried to write songs from my niece’s perspective, stories and ideas she would really enjoy but i kept a foot in what i considered a good melody because i still wanted the music to be satisfying to me– and to the parents who would be listening.
so, it was really out of a desire for a life change, and a love of my niece and other children where the switch came in. i found out pretty early on that i seemed to have a knack at “interpreting” for children in terms of my lyrics. and i never looked back.
Me: What is different about performing for an audience of parents and little ones?
Bari: it’s really heaven. i have been in the music business now for almost 20 years and playing for children and families is by far my favorite. the expectations are so different. there is more of an openness with children and families- a willingness to let go and just enjoy and be. sometimes when it’s just adults I felt i was working hard sometimes to just loosen everyone up.
i find often with families and children we are just ready to go by note 1. or at least by the 2nd song! and often parents are letting go because their children are letting go. and they see how much fun their kids are having and that makes them happy. and that makes us happy on stage and it’s all just feels great. so, it just all becomes about joy. about celebrating families and being together in a fun and loving way.
Me: When a parent and child share music, what effect does it have on their relationship?
Bari: that is a great question. i think it is a profound effect. my happiest moments with my niece are being in the car and putting on a song i really like and watching her move to it and enjoy it. there we both are, on the highway just having a great time together. music can be such a deep bond. your secret time together with your child. it’s almost like inviting something from another world into your relationship. it can’t be fully explained or understood. there is a bit of wonder about it- it’s an instant mood maker or mood changer, depending what you are listening to. i think it’s a way to bond with a child that is just completely authentic and satisfying.
Me: What are some tips for engaging our little ones in music play? How can we maximize the benefits of sharing music with our little ones?
Bari: play music. so many of the children that are into music in my classes or my concerts listen to a lot of music because they love it and often because their parents love it and are playing music at home. play around- jazz, blues, pop, rock, classical-experiment. it doesn’t have to be all kids/family music all the time. have a few instruments around the house- even shakers that children can shake along to and feel like they are part of the music. if you are listening to classical give your child (ages 3 and up) a pair of paper plates so they can “ice skate” or paper plate skate to the music, like the nutcracker.
my friend danny is a concert promoter and his son is 5 and he may know more about the beatles then i do (and i know A LOT) and this little boy absolutely loves the beatles and can sing every word. this was important to his dad and now it’s important to his son and i know that to danny- that is just about the greatest thing in the world, to share this love of music with his son.
Me: What is one thing you wish you could share with every parent?
Bari: wow. one thing. hmm. not sure if it is one thing- but i’d love to inspire parents to fill themselves up with what they need and love so they can give to others, like their children. i think as parents it’s easy to just give and give and that can make you depleted. i always find i do my best “taking care of others” when i am taking care of myself. why do they tell you to put your oxygen mask on first in an airplane in the event of an incident. it is because you can’t take care of another unless you are taken care of. so- make time to do things YOU enjoy, to fill up, rest, recover, and give back. and then when you give back to your children, it may come from a deeper place of truth and contentment- and… play music!!
bari
Rock and Roll Garden is available on Amazon. Go grab yours today. It’s a must-have for every home with little ones! A comment on today’s post is an extra entry in the giveaway for Laptime Songs for Mommies!
My musical journey has been an interesting one. I am not musical by nature. I enjoy music and even taught myself how to lead music. I took piano lessons, violin lessons and trumpet lessons, but they were short-lived and I’m not accomplished at any of them. I didn’t own many CDs and I rarely went out of my way to listen to a specific song or artist. I would say that up until I met my husband, music was not a priority for me.
All that changed when I met Brent. He is passionate about music. He knows all the bands, songs, concerts and pretty much anything else there is to randomly know about music. The night he told me he loved me for the first time he couldn’t quite figure out how to bring it up. He was bringing me home from a date and we had just pulled up to my apartment. He hesitated for a moment and then he said, “I want to share this song with you.” And he put in “It’s Alright” by Boyd Tinsley. It starts, “Can I tell you all that you are to me, girl? You’re really something And I give all my love to you.” Then the chorus says, “I wanna tell you I love you; it’s alright.” My heart melted.
One last example about Brent’s passion for music. During our first year of marriage we went on several long road trips. I would be anxiously running around, doing laundry, washing dishes, packing bags and getting snacks ready. I would haul luggage out to the car. Brent, on the other hand, was always found in the middle of the living room floor with all his CD books open and CDs sprawled about as he carefully chose what he thought would best fit our road trip. At first it irritated and then angered me that he would spend so much time choosing music for our trip. But, we’ve always had very fun road trips and a lot of that is because of Brent’s attention to music.
So it was no surprise to me that Sammi loved music and rhythm from an early age. I was a little, okay, a lot rusty on my nursery rhymes and kid songs. I found the laptime program at our local library and started going. I was reminded of all the classics and learned so many new songs, too. Sammi and I have definitely bonded over sharing music together.
But that only prepared me for little Elli who is the spitting image of her father in her passion for music. At first I accepted how important music was for Brent, but with our children, I have developed my own sense of how important music is. Through songs I can relate to my children in ways that would otherwise be impossible.
We laugh, we play, we fall asleep, we travel all to the original soundtrack of our life together. We love finding new artists and listening to great musicians doing music right. But at the end of the day, Sammi asks for Mommy and Daddy to sing. “Not the car. I don’t want to hear the car. I want you!” she said one day as we were driving home late at night from a fun day at Grandma’s house. She chose us over anything else. That’s the power music can have in your relationship with your little ones.
Because I want everyone to have as fantastic a time sharing music with their little ones as we do in our home, and because I know that not every library has a laptime program to get you started, I put together my first eBook all about how to do laptime with your little ones. Laptime Songs for Mommies …and Daddies and Grandmas and Grandpas walks you through introducing music to your littlest ones on up through preschoolers. It has music, classic nursery rhymes, terrific variations, crafts and book ideas. In short, it’s the ideal way to spend 20 minutes a day in front of your computer with your baby on your lap. But it also creates opportunities to take that music with you where ever you go.
This week’s giveaway is a copy of Laptime Songs for Mommies …and Daddies and Grandmas and Grandpas for two lucky readers. The giveaway will run through Jan 17 and the winner announced Jan 18. This whole week I’ll be exploring how music can fit into every aspect of your life with your little one. This will give you lots of chances to enter to win! Here are the details:
Leave a comment on this post to enter. What is your little ones favorite song or nursery rhyme?
Earn extra entries:
- Tweet this: Another great giveaway from @ajpassey: http://bit.ly/6uKKQ0 Share the power of music with your little ones!
- Facebook this: I just entered to win Laptime Songs for Mommies from Because Babies Grow Up. Share the power of music with your little ones! http://bit.ly/6uKKQ0
- Blog about why you think it’s important to share music with your little ones and at the end of your post, include something like this “This post is part of my entry in Because Babies Grow Up’s giveaway for Laptime Songs for Mommies.”
- Come back each day and leave a comment on that day’s new post about music in the life of little ones.
I don’t expect you to do all of the things to get extra entries! Just if your interested, pick the ones that fit your schedule. I’d just love any help in sharing the message that music is a great way to bond with your little ones.
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What a way to start off the new year! Here’s a catchy, clever album all about the brain. Roger Day had the great idea of creating an entire album around the brain: Why Does Gray Matter? …and other brainy songs for kids! Overall, the album reminds me of all the things I love about They Might Be Giants: smart lyrics and upbeat tunes.
Roger Day appeals to my parenting side by incorporating words like ‘lycopene’ and ‘deep basal ganglia’ into his songs as he extols the virtues of healthy food for the brain and the finer details of how the brain works. Then he also brings to life the kid in me who loves corny wordplay and geeky facts.
But, don’t take my word for it! I wasn’t the only one who loved this album. We were headed out through winding roads on Saturday. So naturally I drove to avoid motion sickness. Brent typed notes for me on my phone as we talked about the songs. When I checked out what he wrote down, I found this: “Husband really enjoys this album.” And that’s coming from my very music savvy sweetheart. Sammi had something to say about it, too. A few songs into the album she commented that “these are songs to help us stay awake!” Which is a compliment since we usually try to sing them to sleep with lullabies on long road trips.
Random Things I Like
- Roger Day is from Tennessee which significantly increases our chances for seeing him live!
- On the back side of the lyrics sheet is a nifty poster for the album that I’m actually considering hanging in my office.
- He started performing his children’s music at community service shows for local Head Start programs where he was scheduled for his regular college coffeehouse shows. (One location he played was right here at Lincoln Memorial University! though I don’t know if he did a children’s performance here.)
Win Your Own Copy
We’ve got a copy of Roger Day’s new album Why Does Gray Matter? …and other brainy songs for kids! to give away to one Because Babies Grow Up reader. To enter, please leave a comment telling me something smart about you or your little one. For additional entries you can blog, tweet, facebook or delicious this post. Just leave another comment telling me what you’ve done and I’ll tally all the extra entries in when I randomly select the winner.
This giveaway is open until Monday, January 11 at midnight, EST. Please help spread the word and good luck!
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It’s here! It’s finished! And I’m so excited to share my joy with you! My very first eBook is finished and ready for purchase. Laptime Songs for Mommies captures the essence of Musical Development, which is combining the melody of familiar songs with traditional and new variations of lyrics. Music is a great way to bond with your little one as well as a way to keep kids active and engaged. Having the right tools makes your part easier and maximizes the benefits for your little one.
Laptime Songs for Mommies includes
- Full-Color, Interactive PDF
- Intro to Laptime, including explanations of development and adaptations with little ones
- 6 Traditional Songs
- Over 50 Rhymes
- 4 Original Rhymes Written Just For This Book
- 4 Themes or Topics for a Complete Laptime Experience
- 4 Craft Ideas with 3 Printables
As a bonus, I’ve also included a printable version of the book that has all the color removed and the graphics minimized to help save on ink. There’s also the MP3 version of each song included in the book.
I’m really excited that this project came together so nicely and is finally all the way finished. I’d love to hear what you think of it. Go check it out!
I have been rather sporadic at posting this month, but I have a good reason! I took a challenge to create a product for release the first week of December. I have been throwing around an idea about how to combine a familiar tune with a collection of variations in nursery rhymes. It’s in its final stages of tweaking and revision and I’m excited to announce it will be available Wednesday! Here’s a sneak peek at the cover, designed of course by my talented husband:
Here’s a sneak peek at the way the music and words can work together. I’m A Little Teapot is one of six songs included in the book. I’m a Little Snowflake is one of over 50 rhymes included in the book. Click play and then sing the new words to a familiar tune. Enjoy!
I’m a Little Snowflake
I’m a little snowflake, look at me
No other snowflake is just like me.
I’m so unique, as you can see.
And just as special as I can be!
I’m so excited about this project. Our good friend, Craig Sowby of Corner House Studio, is the mastermind behind all the music and he did a fabulous job. I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek. I look forward to sharing with you the details when the project becomes an eBook and is ready for the market.
Check back in tomorrow for another fabulous giveaway. If you’re in the mood for giveaways, check out the Artificial Christmas tree sweepstakes at Balsam Hill .
This was a CD of firsts for our family!
The first time I changed my laptime program on the way to the library just to include songs from this CD. We listened to it for the first time on the way to the library last Friday.
The first time my children did all the actions to the songs on very first time they heard the songs! This one really blew me away. I looked back in the rear view mirror and they were touching their toes and nose, raising their hands high and even attempting to turn around while remaining buckled in their seats. Such creativity!
The first time we have religiously carried a CD from house to car and back into the house every time we’ve gone somewhere.
We were excited to work with Waldmania! again to review a CD of music for kids that adults like too. We had enjoyed Milkshake and were hoping for something of equal caliber. We were not disappointed! We enjoyed the upbeat, energetic style of Bari Koral’s Family Rock Band in their new album Rock and Roll Garden.
Bari Koral has been compared to Jewel and Norah Jones, but for me, Bari is my soul sister, the sister to the part of my soul that aspires to change children’s lives and help parents connect with their children through music. The first time listening to her new album, I knew we had found a family classic.
This album doesn’t go on sale until January 12, unfortunately, so I can’t put it on my Christmas gift guide. BUT, I wanted to. Although it is available for pre-order though Amazon and Bari Koral’s website.
Now for the good news!
Bari Koral has offered one reader the chance to own Rock and Roll Garden before you can buy it. So, to enter for your chance to win a copy of Rock and Roll Garden by Bari Koral The Family Band, just leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how you connect with your little ones through music. Inspire me! Of course the winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator. The giveaway is open until Tuesday, Nov 24 and the winner will be announce in Wednesday’s post, Nov 25.
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I’ve noticed lots of people searching for crafts to do with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and thought today would be a perfect day to share the ones that have been a huge success at our house.
Star on a Stick Craft
Cut out 2 star shapes from heavy paper.
Have little one decorate the stars: color, glitter, buttons.
Glue one star on each side of a craft stick.
Starry Night Craft
Cut out bits of yellow construction paper. These are the “stars.”
Put drops of glue on a piece of dark blue construction paper. Have little one place yellow “stars” on top of the drops of glue.
Or swipe bits on a glue stick. Then place the “stars” on the paper.
Star Mobile Craft
Cut out various sizes of stars from heavy paper.
Have little one decorate stars in different ways.
Punch a hole in the top of each star.
Use plastic department store-style hanger that spins and tie stars to the arms of the hanger.
What are your favorite crafts that accompany Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?
Do you ever get tired of your children’s music? Sammi has two CDs she absolutely loves. They are pretty much the only two she’ll listen to. One is Mickey Mouse characters singing songs and the other is a CD of short songs like Three Blind Mice and London Bridges. They are both really fun and I admit that I enjoy them. Most of the time. But every once in a while I long for the days of listening (uninterrupted) to the radio and hearing grown up music.
One day Brent came home from the library with a CD that was the answer to this dilemma. For the Kids
We’ve recently introduced Sammi to this CD and she also loves it. Her favorite song is The Hoppity Song by Five For Fighting. My favorite energetic song is Snow Day by Bleu and my favorite lullaby is Willie the King by Dan Wilson, although it is quite sad. Now when Sammi asks to listen to kids’ music, I can turn this on and we’re both happy.
*Clicking on links to individual songs will open iTunes.
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