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Helping Children to Appreciate Music
Making music a part of your daycare curriculum can be downright simple. Children naturally love to learn and sing (often quite loudly) new songs.
Better yet, they don't care whether you sing off-key or well enough to earn a Grammy.
The best way to get started is to get the children involved as much as possible. Simply listening to music is not as engaging for them as fully participating in some way.
When teaching a new song to small children, sing one line at a time and let them copy you. By the second run-through most of the children will have the lyrics down-pat.
Add in some homemade instruments, and you have an activity that will be enjoyed by all the children in your care.
Homemade Instruments:
Creating the instruments is as much fun as playing them. Choose simple songs with a steady beat and make it easy for the kids to follow along with their instruments.
Rubber Band Harp
Use a sturdy box without the cover. Stretch rubber bands around the box, and over the open end. Pluck the rubber bands to make soft music.
This is probably the easiest homemade musical instrument to make. Be sure to decorate the outside of the box so the kids have a chance to be creative.
Pie Plate Tambourine
Use a foil pie pan and 6-8 flattened bottle caps. Make a small hole in each bottle cap (adults only), and 6-8 holes around the edge of the pie pan. The children can then thread string through the pie plate holes and the bottle caps. Tie the string so there is enough room for the bottle caps to move and hit the pie pan. Start shaking to make music.
Box Guitar
You will need a long tissue box with the oval in the center of the top. Put a few rubber bands around the top of the box and cover the hole. Put a pencil or dowel stick under the rubber bands on one side. Tape a paper towel tube to the side opposite the pencil. Decorate as desired.
Drumsticks
Cover a cotton ball with a square of fabric. Attach it to the end of a dowel stick with a rubber band.
Music Activities:
Another way to involve children is to plan an activity around listening to or moving to music.
There are many easy music activities that will have the children begging you to "play it again".
Bell Dance
Attach bells to the shoes of young children. Play music letting them dance to the song. This is an especially well liked activity around the holidays.
Movement Songs
Classic favorites like “I’m a Little Teapot”, “Itsy Bitsy Spider”, or “If You’re Happy and You Know It” are easy music activities. These songs have simple verses and actions that make the songs fun for kids.
OR…create your own movements for songs. Play any selection you like, and depending on the rhythm and tempo of the song, call out directions for the children to follow. Examples : reach to the ceiling, sway back and forth, march in a circle, wave your arms, etc.
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