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Most children seem to have an innate love for
music. Even the youngest child will pause to
listen – and sometimes dance – when he hears a
tune. It doesn’t take much to encourage an
interest in music and just a little guidance can
inspire your child to get more out of the
experience. Here are some ways you can make
music fun for your children:
1. Set aside one
hour a day for “music time.” Don’t push music
into the background. Show your children that
music is something worthy of their time and
attention. Show them how to just sit and listen
or sing along to their favorite songs.
2. Let your
child be active and physical with music. Dance
and music are great companions. Show your child
how to make up movements to well-known songs
like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or “Head,
Shoulders, Knees and Toes.” It allows children
to be creative while exerting some of that
pent-up energy.
3. Ask your
child to show you how music makes him feel.
While you and your child are listening to a
song, ask your child to show with his face or in
a drawing how he is feeling. With very small
children, give them a choice of shapes and ask
them to tell you which shape the song makes them
think of. This allows children to really think
about what they are hearing.
4. Pick
different types of instruments and teach your
child more about them. Focus on one instrument
at a time. Teach your child what it looks like,
sounds like and what type of music it would be
associated with. Then ask your child to tell you
everything she knows about the instrument and
what it would sound like if it were played. Once
your child has an understanding of several types
of instruments, then compare and contrast them.
5. Show your
child how to make a musical instrument. Children
learn through discovery and hands-on activities.
Making an instrument will not only give them a
sense of accomplishment, it will also teach them
other uses for everyday objects. An added bonus?
Your child will have a useful toy from which he
will continue to learn. When the project is
complete, ask your child to play her new
instrument to a recording of a favorite song.
Try your hand at making these instruments.
 Tambourine
Level of difficulty:
Easy, better for younger children
Supplies:
Two paper plates, crayons and/or markers,
half-cup dried rice, stapler
Take two paper plates and have your child
color, draw and decorate the bottoms of them.
After your child is done, place the plates face
up and put rice on one of the plates. Take the
other plate and lay it face down, directly on
top of the other plate where the edges meet.
Staple the edges together all the way around so
that no rice can escape. Shake it or hit it
against a hand to produce a sound. Let your
child enjoy his creation.
Note: To make an even bigger and better
tambourine for older kids, punch holes around
the edges of the plates and poke small pieces of
pipe cleaner, with bells attached, through the
holes. Twist to fasten.
 Garden Hose Trumpet
Level of
difficulty: Moderate, better for
older children
Supplies:
garden hose, funnel, duct tape
Cut a clean, thin garden hose 3 feet from the
end. Insert the small end of the funnel into the
cut end of the hose and secure with duct tape
(4-5 inches). The larger the funnel, the louder
the sound will be. Coil the hose into a circle
and overlap about 6 inches. Secure where the
hoses meet with another piece of duct tape. Hold
the funnel end at arm’s length and blow into the
metal piece of the hose by “buzzing” the lips.
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Jazz Baby Session 3, Various Artists ($9.98).
Twelve jazzy tracks featuring Cybil Shepherd, Poncho
Sanchez and Megan Mullally, among others. 