"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature can not do without." ~Confucius

Monday, June 4, 2012

"Make It a Song" Monday

So, I thought I'd do a semi-regular post about making random daily events into songs. Monday is great because usually I'm feeling rather sluggish and tired (although I did get to sleep in today after a lot of early mornings... thanks to my sweet hubs!!), so it's a good way to get me (and you!) singing with our kids even if that may be the last thing I (you) feel like doing.

So, the point is to get more melodies going in your child's brain to get them thinking musically about words, events, feelings, etc. An easy way to do this is to just put activities or thoughts to simple melodies.

You can use any number of familiar tunes to accomplish this. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking:

  • Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
  • Jingle Bells
  • There's a Hole In the Bucket
  • London Bridge
  • Hot Cross Buns
  • Polly Put the Kettle On
  • Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush


Today's singing subject: Getting Dressed.  


 We chose the tune, "Polly Put the Kettle On" for this.
It went something like this: We'll use the name.... Susie!

"Susie" put your pants on please, pants on please, pants on please.
"Susie" put your pants on please; then we'll go outside.

"Susie" put your shirt on next, shirt on next, shirt on next.
"Susie" put your shirt on next, then we'll go and play!



You can use it to help teach body parts to younger kids, or left and right to older ones....

(To the tune of  Twinkle, Twinkle:)
One leg goes inside your pants,
next leg goes inside one too.
Out comes a foot, then there's two
Now we pull them up, up, woo!
Now our pants are on our legs,
Next our shirt goes over our head.

They don't need to rhyme... but you can always make up nonsense words to make a rhyme, which kids usually love.

They may start to sing along with you, make up their own words to finish the thread, or just stare at you like you have three heads. Either way, they are listening and hearing melody and descriptive words, helping them to learn how to make melodies of their own.

The above "getting dressed" singing took about 2-3 minutes, then they were off to play, singing as they went!


So, welcome to "Make It a Song" Mondays.
Share what YOU made into a song today!

2 comments:

  1. I often turn Lightly Row into a diaper changing song. "Poopy butt, poopy butt, time to change your poopy butt . . . "

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  2. You're awesome for singing about poopy butts. Our poopy experiences are usually quite painful with the stench, so I've never tried singing during them.... :-)

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