Music Fun with Your Toddler

by Stephanie Goins on July 06, 2011

Music FunMUSIC FUN: As a break from our typical blog topics of wall stencils, wall decals and kids canvas wall art, we continue with our summertime toddler activity series. Enjoy this little collection of musical goodies!

 

Music Basket
Designate a basket for rhythm instruments (maracas, drums, tambourines, flutes, bells, gourds, triangles, etc). Set aside a specific "music time" every day or so and make up original songs, or simply play the instruments while listening to music on the stereo.

Dancing With Your Star
You and your child make up silly dances to some of her favorite songs. Use simple hand motions or more complex twists and turns. Go the extra mile and have a "costume" for each song. Put on a performance after dinner that evening.

Kitchen Drums
Explore your kitchen and find bowls that will make varying musical sounds (glass, metal, plastic). Search your drawers for a wide variety of spoons (metal, plastic, wooden). Set up the "drum set" and experiment with sounds. Which materials make the loudest sounds? The softest? The prettiest?

Strike a Pose
Teach your child how to “strike a pose” then either blast the Madonna song Vogue (which you can find easily on YouTube) or put on some music while walk around striking poses every so often… Or for a different variation, have a bell ringer (hit a pot, blow a whistle, etc.) and strike a different poses every time the bell (pot, whistle) is activated. Try to be serious about this.... and you'll probably end up laughing hysterically.

Turn That Dial
Turn on the radio and listen to music together. Start from one end of the dial and go to the other. Talk about the songs and the sounds you hear. Discuss the name of each type of music (rap, show tunes, country, gospel, R&B, pop, etc.). Which types of music do you like or don't like? How does it make you feel? Feel free to dance or sing if a song or sound in particular inspires you. You could also talk about the commercials you hear. What are they selling? Would you like to buy it? Why or why not?

Wake-Up/Bedtime Songs
Make up songs as you get ready for the day and for bedtime. Model this for your child often and she will most likely and most remarkably follow suit.

Musical Chairs
Need I explain how this works? If doing with 4 people, use 3 chairs (5 people, 4 chairs). Start the music and walk around the chairs until the music stops, at which point you run for an empty chair. The person without a seat is out of the game. Repeat. Last person in a seat wins. Don’t be limited by chairs. You can use couch cushions or pillows or even t-shirts.

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