March—National Music in our Schools Month—is a great time to introduce your children to music. To help them develop a love of music, you don't have to wait until they're old enough for lessons.
Here's some advice from music professionals about ways to help foster a lifelong interest in music—and have a lot of fun with your kids at the same time:
- Start them early, even in the womb. Elizabeth Monacelli, a professional violinist in San Diego, Calif., stresses the importance of exposing children to music early in their lives. She notes that in the Japanese Suzuki method, "mothers are instructed to play recordings to their children in the womb. The children are then introduced to their instruments as early as one year of age."
- Shake it, baby. "Babies experience music with their whole bodies," explains Mike Soloway, an early childhood music teacher, performer and songwriter from Huntington, N.Y. He recommends rocking or swaying while holding your baby and listening to music, gently tapping or bouncing your baby's body to the beat of a song. Music and movement, he notes, are intimately connected during early childhood years. Soloway has just released a 2-volume CD, "Moving With Mike: Fun Songs for Creative Movement, Dance & Fitness," for children age 3-7.
- Stay tuned to daily activities. Susie Tallman of Rock Me Baby Records, a creator of music that enriches children at each stage of their development, encourages integrating music into children's daily lives. "Listen to music in the car. Brush teeth or take a bath while listening to music. And use clean-up songs to make chores more fun," Tallman says.
- Let 'em play. Alicia McMillan, a San Diego-based music educator who teaches children aged four through 14, suggests letting kids play their instruments while accompanying a recording, to help them learn to play with the beat. This can be done with children as young as four, she says.
- Invite questions. McMillan also recommends listening to music with your children and then asking them questions, such as: Is the music fast or slow? Loud or soft? Is the singer a man, woman or child? What instruments do you hear? How does the music make you feel—sad or excited? She adds that you can ask your children to draw a picture of how the music made them feel.
Creepy Crawly Calypso
Jump and jive from one to ten with a boisterous band of bugs in this selection that introduces creepy crawlies and calypso instruments. After the rhyming story, there are fascinating facts about the insects and calypso bands, as well as a simple music score. Book with CD edition includes song sung by Richard Love, Panache and Alex Hutchings.
Ages 3 to 7 years
Written By: Tony Langham
Illustrated By: Debbie Harter
Sung By: Richard Love
Written By: Tony Langham
Illustrated By: Debbie Harter
Sung By: Richard Love
I enjoyed reading Tony Langham's book Creepy Crawly Calypso. I discovered many fascinating facts about lots of creepy crawlies of the Caribbean. This delightful paperback book comes with its own CD. You'll enjoy dancing along with the sounds of a calypso band! Plus you'll see vibrant, colorful illustrations by Debbie Harter. What a wonderful way to learn how to count and discover the world of musical instruments in Creepy Crawly Calypso!
Living Barefoot Review:
Creepy Crawly Calypso with sing-a-long CD, offers an education on the playful and colorful sounds of the Caribbean by highlighting various instruments. The book also introduces ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd...) as various groups of insects enter the band. I am reminded of a music education class as the first track of the CD gives an overview of the featured instruments and asks listeners to "listen for the sound of the steel drums/marimba/saxophone", before the second track sings the song contained in the pages of the book. The final track is the instrumental version of the song. The book holds the same information with a picture glossary of the insects and instruments at the back of the book. The book also contains the sheet music for your budding musician. The bright illustrations are by Debbie Harter. My children enjoy the insects - we like to get out the set plastic bugs when we listen. I enjoy sharing with them the unique Calypso sound, as a way of demonstrating the great variety and playfulness there is to find in music.
Paperback $6.99
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