Music for Learning
Learning Objectives – Exploring voice sounds
There are many sounds that you can make with your voice. I’ll make the sound first and then you copy me.
Tell the children what sound you are going to make.
Make the sound.
Ask the children to copy the sound.
Discuss where that sound is made.
Here is an example: whisper a few words and ask the children to copy you. Talk about whispering if someone is asleep.
Here are some other sounds to make:
Singing, whistling, hissing, coughing, crying, talking, breathing, sighing, humming , laughing and sneezing.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence - What sounds do you like to make with your voice?
For developing the idea: Developing: Can you make a sad sound, a funny sound, or a singing sound?
For moving forward: Could you teach someone at your house to make sounds? Who would that be?
Learning Objective – Learning Color Vocabulary
Each child needs a piece of paper and the following crayons: yellow, red, black and blue.
Sing the following songs to the children in the order that they appear here.
Sing one song at a time and ask them what color did they hear in the song.
Ask them to find that color crayon and draw something on their paper using that crayon.
Continue on with the next song.
Here is the order of the songs:
"Yellow Bird"
"Red Red Robin"
":Miss Mary Mack"
Skip to My Lou"
"Jennie Jenkins"
If you don’t know the song, go to kiddidles.com and you can find the words and hear the music.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: The song "Skip to My Lou" has the names of two colors. What are they?
For developing the idea: Let’s sing some of these songs again.
For moving forward: Let’s make up a song with color words in it.
Products at Discount School Supply® that I recommend:
Toddler Wooden 2 Piece Puzzle (TODPUZ)
3-D Spindle Puzzles (ANIMATCH)
Busy Baby Telephone (PHONE)
Giant Plush Stacking Ring (TALLRING)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Again, Please!
FOR TODDLERS
Learning Objective – Developing Reading Skills
Again, Please!
When toddlers like a poem, a books or a song, they want to hear it again and again. Sometimes that is very boring to the caregiver.
Here are some ideas to make it more interesting and develop reading skills in the children.
Ask the children to tell the story in their own words.
Read the story and let your children fill in words. They probably have it memorized by now.
Select simple stories that the children can memorize and they will become favorites at this age.
Help the children act out the story.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: What story do you like to hear over and over again?
For developing the idea: Let’s look at the pictures and talk about the story.
For moving forward: Can you tell me the story?
FOR TODDLERS
Learning Objective – Language Skills
Important Accents
The current brain research says: that young children develop a clear bias for words with first-syllable accents .
With this information, you can help develop your child’s language abilities.
For example, the rhyme “Baa Baa Black Sheep” is a good rhyme for playing this game. Say the rhyme and put an accent on the first word of each line.
Baa Baa black sheep
Have you any wool
Yes sir, yes sir
Three bags full
Some other rhymes that work well with accenting the first word in each line are; London Bridge, Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Let’s say the poem Baa Baa Black Sheep and make some of the words louder than the others.
For developing the idea: Can you ask me a question and make the first word louder than the rest?”
For moving forward: Can you sing a song making some of the words louder than the others?
Learning Objective – Developing Reading Skills
Again, Please!
When toddlers like a poem, a books or a song, they want to hear it again and again. Sometimes that is very boring to the caregiver.
Here are some ideas to make it more interesting and develop reading skills in the children.
Ask the children to tell the story in their own words.
Read the story and let your children fill in words. They probably have it memorized by now.
Select simple stories that the children can memorize and they will become favorites at this age.
Help the children act out the story.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: What story do you like to hear over and over again?
For developing the idea: Let’s look at the pictures and talk about the story.
For moving forward: Can you tell me the story?
FOR TODDLERS
Learning Objective – Language Skills
Important Accents
The current brain research says: that young children develop a clear bias for words with first-syllable accents .
With this information, you can help develop your child’s language abilities.
For example, the rhyme “Baa Baa Black Sheep” is a good rhyme for playing this game. Say the rhyme and put an accent on the first word of each line.
Baa Baa black sheep
Have you any wool
Yes sir, yes sir
Three bags full
Some other rhymes that work well with accenting the first word in each line are; London Bridge, Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Let’s say the poem Baa Baa Black Sheep and make some of the words louder than the others.
For developing the idea: Can you ask me a question and make the first word louder than the rest?”
For moving forward: Can you sing a song making some of the words louder than the others?
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Where Is the Sound?
A young child's brain grows at a phenomenal rate
in the early years of life opening windows of opportunity for learning that
occurs only once in a lifetime.
These simple games will promote early brain development for Infants and toddlers.
Start with simple words like “moon.” Say it with your mouth several times,’
These simple games will promote early brain development for Infants and toddlers.
FOR INFANTS
Learning
Objective – Auditory Development
Where Is
the Sound?
The newest brain research says that musical
experiences enhance the future ability to reason abstractly, particularly in
the spatial domains.
Auditory awareness is something that comes with
age and experience.
Playing games to heighten your baby’s hearing
awareness will help wire her brain.
Take a wind-up musical toy and put it out of
your baby’s sight.
Wind it up and ask her “where’s the music?”
When she turns to the sound, praise her
generously.
Repeat this game in different parts of the
room.
If your
baby is crawling, you can hide the music under a pillow or elsewhere so that
she can crawl to the music.
Ideas to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Repeat the game several times and praise your baby.
For building confidence: Repeat the game several times and praise your baby.
For developing the idea: Put the musical toy at different levels: on a table, on a chair, on the floor, etc.
For moving forward: Put the toy next to the baby and clap hands and sing "la la la" to the music.
FOR INFANTS
Learning
Objective – Practicing Language
Speak with your body
When babies
learn new words, they like to repeat them over and over because they enjoy the
sounds. Practicing speech patterns is a wonderful pre-reading experience. Start with simple words like “moon.” Say it with your mouth several times,’
Say it in the
evening so that you can point to the sky as you say it.
Say it with your
hands Clap your hands as you say the
word.
Say it with your
head. (move your head up and down to the word).
Say it with your
feet - (stamp your feet to the word.)
Say it with your
eyes -(blink your eyes to the word)
Play the same game with another word
or words.
Ideas to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: It's fun to say the words in different ways. Let's say the word and I will bounce you on my knee.
For building confidence: It's fun to say the words in different ways. Let's say the word and I will bounce you on my knee.
For developing the idea: Let's say a new word and clap our hands at the same time. Pick a name of a family member.
For moving forward: Tell me a word you would like to say with this game.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Color Songs!
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Learning Objective - Developing motor skillsColor Songs
The children should be sitting in front of you in a circle.
Give each child a piece of drawing paper.
Have an array of crayons next to you so that all the children can see the colors.
Sing a song to your children that has a color word in the lyrics. Here are some suggestions.
"Skip to My Lou"
"Yellow Bird"
"Red Red Robin"
"Miss Mary Mack"
"Jennie Jenkins"
Ask them to listen for a color word.
Then, select a child to come and find that color crayon and draw a circle on his paper.
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: The song "Skip to My Lou" has the names of two colors. What are they?
(Little red wagon painted blue.)
For developing the idea: Let’s sing some of these songs again.
For moving forward: Let’s make up a song with a color word in it.
=============================================
From infancy, as babies develop, the sounds of rattles and musical toys intrigue them. Toddlers begin composing their own rhythmic patterns by banging on pots and other surfaces. A tune on the radio or television can spontaneously inspire a toddler to respond by swaying and bouncing his little body.
Here is a rhythm action poem that children enjoy.
MY BODY HAS RHYTHM by Jackie Silberg
I use my brain to think, think, think
(touch your head with your index finger)
I use my nose to smell
(touch your nose)
I use my eyes to blink, blink, blink
(blink your eyes)
And I use my mouth to YELL
(yell)
I use my mouth to giggle, giggle, giggle
(touch your mouth)
I use my hips to bump
(sway your hips)
I use my toes to wiggle, wiggle, wiggle
(wiggle your toes)
And I use my legs to jump
(Jump)
1. Clap the rhythm of the poem. Notice that the rhythm is the same every other line.
2. Clap two lines and speak two lines
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Say the poem and do the actions with your child. Give her lots of praise.
For developing the idea: Clap the rhythm with your child as you say the words. She will soon become familiar with the rhythm changing every other line.
For moving forward: Give your child a stuffed animal and help her do the actions with the toy.
Recommended Products:
Find & Fit a Shape (TODFIT)
Chunky Mix & Stack Farm (MIXFARM)
Edushape® Train Set (TRAINBL)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Awareness of Sounds
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
FOR TODDLERS
Learning Objective – Awareness of Sounds
Body Sounds
Before there were pianos and guitars, people made sounds with their bodies.
Think of the different parts of your body that can make a sound.
Ask the children to do the following.
Rubbing your hands together.
Hitting your hands on different surfaces,
Stamping your feet against the floor.
Slapping – open your hands against your chest, slap your thighs, and your tummy..
Clap your hands together or against someone else’s hands.
Mouth sounds – click your teeth together, rub your tongue against your lips, gargle, smack your lips.
Whispering
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Do you have some favorite sounds? Can you make them now?
For developing the idea: Let’s find some pictures with people making different sounds.
For moving forward: What body sounds do you make when you are happy, sad, angry, and sleepy?
FOR TODDLERS
Learning Objective – Awareness of Sounds
Body Sounds
Before there were pianos and guitars, people made sounds with their bodies.
Think of the different parts of your body that can make a sound.
Ask the children to do the following.
Rubbing your hands together.
Hitting your hands on different surfaces,
Stamping your feet against the floor.
Slapping – open your hands against your chest, slap your thighs, and your tummy..
Clap your hands together or against someone else’s hands.
Mouth sounds – click your teeth together, rub your tongue against your lips, gargle, smack your lips.
Whispering
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Do you have some favorite sounds? Can you make them now?
For developing the idea: Let’s find some pictures with people making different sounds.
For moving forward: What body sounds do you make when you are happy, sad, angry, and sleepy?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tell Me What It Says
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
FOR INFANTS
Learning Objective– Developing language
The current brain research says: that young children develop a clear bias for words with first-syllable accents For example, the rhyme “Baa Baa Black Sheep” is good to say with your infant. Say the rhyme and put an accent on the first word of each line.
Baa Baa black sheep
Have you any wool
Yes sir, yes sir
Three bags full
Some other rhymes that work well with accenting the first word in each line are: "London Bridge," "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Babies pay closer attention to accented words.
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: As you say the accented words, raise your voice to a higher level using a parentese voice.
For developing the idea: Holding the baby in your lap, each time you say the accented word, clap the baby’s hands together.
For moving forward: Sing familiar songs with your baby and pick out certain words to accent. When you sing the accented word, do a movement activity at the same time. For example, jump, walk very slowly and sing the word slowly, march, and twirl slowly.
Activity: Tell Me What It Says
You will need a picture of a baby, a clock, a bird, a drum, and some water.
Point to one of the pictures and say to your your baby “Tell me what the baby says.”
Then answer the question – “Ma ma, ma, ma” or “Da da da da.”
Repeat the same question asking about each picture and giving the answer.
Tell me what the clock says
Tick, tock, tick, tock
Tell me what the birdie says
Tweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet
Tell me what the drum says
Boom, boom, boom, boom
Tell me what the water says
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Make the sounds with the baby and encourage him to copy you. Praise all of his efforts.
For developing the idea: Look at books and magazines with the baby and find things that make sounds.
For moving forward: Show your baby different mouth sounds. Clicking, moving your tongue back and forth on your lips, the raspberry, and any others that you can think of. Babies love to look at faces and will try to copy you.
FOR INFANTS
Learning Objective– Developing language
The current brain research says: that young children develop a clear bias for words with first-syllable accents For example, the rhyme “Baa Baa Black Sheep” is good to say with your infant. Say the rhyme and put an accent on the first word of each line.
Baa Baa black sheep
Have you any wool
Yes sir, yes sir
Three bags full
Some other rhymes that work well with accenting the first word in each line are: "London Bridge," "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
Babies pay closer attention to accented words.
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: As you say the accented words, raise your voice to a higher level using a parentese voice.
For developing the idea: Holding the baby in your lap, each time you say the accented word, clap the baby’s hands together.
For moving forward: Sing familiar songs with your baby and pick out certain words to accent. When you sing the accented word, do a movement activity at the same time. For example, jump, walk very slowly and sing the word slowly, march, and twirl slowly.
=========================================
Activity: Tell Me What It Says
You will need a picture of a baby, a clock, a bird, a drum, and some water.
Point to one of the pictures and say to your your baby “Tell me what the baby says.”
Then answer the question – “Ma ma, ma, ma” or “Da da da da.”
Repeat the same question asking about each picture and giving the answer.
Tell me what the clock says
Tick, tock, tick, tock
Tell me what the birdie says
Tweet. Tweet, tweet, tweet
Tell me what the drum says
Boom, boom, boom, boom
Tell me what the water says
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle
Ideas that take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence: Make the sounds with the baby and encourage him to copy you. Praise all of his efforts.
For developing the idea: Look at books and magazines with the baby and find things that make sounds.
For moving forward: Show your baby different mouth sounds. Clicking, moving your tongue back and forth on your lips, the raspberry, and any others that you can think of. Babies love to look at faces and will try to copy you.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sound Awareness and Creative Thinking
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Learning Objective- Awareness of Sound
Learning Objective- Awareness of Sound
This game is like a scavenger hunt. Talk about all the different kinds of sounds you can listen to and try to find examples of these sounds.
Crunchy, funny, terrible, scary, scratchy, buzzing, humming, a sound that starts and stops, and metal sounds.
Here are some ideas to start with.
Carrot for crunching
Scary sound with your voice
A buzzing toy
Two metal spoons
Slide whistle
Pick up one of the objects and make the sound. When you make the sound, give the descriptive word.
“Oh, that is a loud sound.”
Take a walk outside and see what sounds you can identify.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence - “Can you make your voice sound happy?”
For developing the idea - “You make wonderful happy sounds. Can a bird make a happy sound? Can a dog make a happy sound?" Continue asking about different animals and different sounds.
For moving forward - “I’m going to make a sound. See if you can tell what it is. (make a sound of a cat. Now you make a sound and I’ll see if I can tell what it is.” There’s a good chance that the child will copy your sound. That’s normal and should be expected.
Learning Objective – Creative thinking
A favorite song with toddlers is “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” They love to make the animal sounds.
Talk about other kinds of places Old MacDonald could go. The children will tell you things based on their families.
Try singing the song using other ideas.
Old MacDonald had a cold, e,i,e,i,o
And with his cold he had a cough. Etc.
Think of sounds you have with a cold.
Old MacDonald could also have a yard, a house, a candy store, etc. Changing the words will develop vocabulary.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – “ Let’s sing Old MacDonald together.”
For developing the idea - “If Old MacDonald had a candy store, what kind of candy would he have in the store?”
For moving forward - “Let’s sing Old MacDonald had a car and make up sounds of the car.”
An excellent book to read for this activity is Old MacDonald in the City by Suzanne Williams.
Recommended Items:
Watch Me Crawl Tunnel (GOBABY)
Giant Plush Stacking Ring (TALLRING)
The Complete Book of Rhymes, Songs, Poems, Fingerplays and Chants (RHYMES)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Develope Your Toddler's Vocabulary
These games will help to grow the brains of toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Sit the children on the floor gathered around you. If they understand sitting in a circle, that would be ideal.
Ask the children if they can tell you what is in their house…tables, chairs, lamps, TV, etc.
Sing this song to the tune of "London Bridge" and leave out the last word for the child to fill in.
Tell us please, what’s in your house
In your house
In your house
Tell us please, what’s in your house
Tell us …..(Lakeesha)
(Lakeesha names something in her house)
Continue the song giving the children an opportunity to tell about their houses.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence - Can you name some of the things at your house?
For developing the idea - What do you like to do in your house at the table?
For moving forward - What does your mother do at the table? What does your grandpa do at the table?
Learning Objective – Growing motor skills
Cut out large apple shapes from colored paper. Laminate them and place them on the floor. If this presents a problem, you can cut out the apple shapes and tape them in different parts of the room.
Ask the children to hop from one apple to another as they sing to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Hopping, hopping for my health
For my health
For my health
Hopping, hopping for my health
I am healthy.
Continue with other movements such as jumping, marching, turning, and running.
Follow with a conversation about exercise and health.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – Tell the children “hopping makes up feel good and is a lot of fun”.
For developing the idea – Ask “where are places that you like to hop”?
For moving forward - Can you hop like different animals? A rabbit, a frog, or a bird?
Monday, October 10, 2011
Discover Your Hands!
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
FOR INFANTS
Learning Objective - Discovering your hands
Babies love to stare at interesting faces and toys.
Take several colorful toys and, one at a time, slowly move it back and forth in front of your baby to stimulate his vision.
This is also the time when babies discover their hands. They watch and watch and finally discover that they can make their hands appear and disappear.
Take your baby’s hands and gently clap them in front of his face. As you do this, say the following poem:
Clap, clap, clap your hands,
Clap your hands together.
Put your hands on Mommy’s face. (substitute name of the person doing the rhyme with baby)
Clap your hands together.
Clap, clap, clap your hands,
Clap your hands together
Put your hands on baby’s face (substitute child’s name)
Clap your hands together
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – Use encouraging phrases to tell the baby what a good job she is doing.
For developing the idea – Continue playing the game and adding new parts to touch. Hair, eyes, nose and lips are good to start with.
For moving forward - Say “I can clap my hands.” Clap your hands. Now say, “You can clap your hands.” Take the baby’s hands and clap them. Repeat this except the next time, clap the baby’s hands once and encourage her to do it by herself.
Learning Objectives – To strengthen your baby’s back and neck
Lie on your back and put your baby on your tummy.
With your hands firmly around his waist or chest, raise your baby in the air and up to your face.
Say the following and do the actions:
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (lift him up to your face)
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (bring him back down to your tummy)
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (bring him back up to your face)
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (bring him back down to your tummy)
Where’s my baby? Up high, high, high. (bring your baby up high over your face)
Where’s my baby? (bring him back down to your tummy
Keep repeating the high, high, high part.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence - Each time you go high, add a fun sound like “whee” or “yay,”
For developing the idea - Continue to play games with your baby where you hold him and take him high in the air. With older infants, sit on the floor with your baby sitting in front of you. While holding him firmly around his waist or chest, rock back and forth or side to side. Sing a song as you play this game.
For moving forward - Brain research says that developing strength and balance lays the groundwork for crawling and internal feelings of self-confidence.
FOR INFANTS
Learning Objective - Discovering your hands
Babies love to stare at interesting faces and toys.
Take several colorful toys and, one at a time, slowly move it back and forth in front of your baby to stimulate his vision.
This is also the time when babies discover their hands. They watch and watch and finally discover that they can make their hands appear and disappear.
Take your baby’s hands and gently clap them in front of his face. As you do this, say the following poem:
Clap, clap, clap your hands,
Clap your hands together.
Put your hands on Mommy’s face. (substitute name of the person doing the rhyme with baby)
Clap your hands together.
Clap, clap, clap your hands,
Clap your hands together
Put your hands on baby’s face (substitute child’s name)
Clap your hands together
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence – Use encouraging phrases to tell the baby what a good job she is doing.
For developing the idea – Continue playing the game and adding new parts to touch. Hair, eyes, nose and lips are good to start with.
For moving forward - Say “I can clap my hands.” Clap your hands. Now say, “You can clap your hands.” Take the baby’s hands and clap them. Repeat this except the next time, clap the baby’s hands once and encourage her to do it by herself.
Learning Objectives – To strengthen your baby’s back and neck
Lie on your back and put your baby on your tummy.
With your hands firmly around his waist or chest, raise your baby in the air and up to your face.
Say the following and do the actions:
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (lift him up to your face)
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (bring him back down to your tummy)
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (bring him back up to your face)
Where’s my baby?
There he is. (bring him back down to your tummy)
Where’s my baby? Up high, high, high. (bring your baby up high over your face)
Where’s my baby? (bring him back down to your tummy
Keep repeating the high, high, high part.
Things to do to take this activity to the next level:
For building confidence - Each time you go high, add a fun sound like “whee” or “yay,”
For developing the idea - Continue to play games with your baby where you hold him and take him high in the air. With older infants, sit on the floor with your baby sitting in front of you. While holding him firmly around his waist or chest, rock back and forth or side to side. Sing a song as you play this game.
For moving forward - Brain research says that developing strength and balance lays the groundwork for crawling and internal feelings of self-confidence.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Music for Learning
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Learning Objective - Using different parts of the body
Sit on the floor with the children and ask them to follow the actions. Sing to the tune of "London Bridge."
Now it's time to touch our nose, touch our nose, touch our nose
Now it's time to touch our nose
Here it is! (touch your nose)
Now it's time to blink our eyes – here they are
Now it's time to touch our toes
Now it's time to shake our feet
Now it's time to stand up tall – I am tall
Now it's time to sit back down – I can sit
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – Say, “I can touch my nose. Where is your nose?” Continue on with different parts of the body.
For developing the idea – Say, “can you touch my nose?” Name different body parts and let the child touch them on your body.
For moving forward - Ask the children to do the actions in the song with a stuffed animal.
Learning Objective - Using music for transitions
Children need time for finishing one activity and to get ready for the next one.
Music is a wonderful way to help children recognize that it’s time to finish what they are doing. Remember that their time line is different from yours. They are focusing on their project and time is not on their mind.
You can play music using the same song each time or you can sing something.
For example, you can sing to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down.”
Now it’s time to have a snack, have a snack, have a snack,
Now it’s time to have a snack,
Please pass the juice.
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – Compliment the children on what a good job they are doing.
For developing the idea – Ask the children how they change activities at home.
Going from sleeping to getting up and getting dressed.
Stop playing to get ready for dinner.
Getting ready to play outside.
For moving forward – Say, “let’s make up another song about changing activities.”
Recommended Products
Hand Tom Tom (TOM)
Wooden Sorting and Matching Ducks (CLRDUCK)
Gingerbread Sort and Snap (GINGERB)
Learning Objective - Using different parts of the body
Sit on the floor with the children and ask them to follow the actions. Sing to the tune of "London Bridge."
Now it's time to touch our nose, touch our nose, touch our nose
Now it's time to touch our nose
Here it is! (touch your nose)
Now it's time to blink our eyes – here they are
Now it's time to touch our toes
Now it's time to shake our feet
Now it's time to stand up tall – I am tall
Now it's time to sit back down – I can sit
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – Say, “I can touch my nose. Where is your nose?” Continue on with different parts of the body.
For developing the idea – Say, “can you touch my nose?” Name different body parts and let the child touch them on your body.
For moving forward - Ask the children to do the actions in the song with a stuffed animal.
Learning Objective - Using music for transitions
Children need time for finishing one activity and to get ready for the next one.
Music is a wonderful way to help children recognize that it’s time to finish what they are doing. Remember that their time line is different from yours. They are focusing on their project and time is not on their mind.
You can play music using the same song each time or you can sing something.
For example, you can sing to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down.”
Now it’s time to have a snack, have a snack, have a snack,
Now it’s time to have a snack,
Please pass the juice.
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – Compliment the children on what a good job they are doing.
For developing the idea – Ask the children how they change activities at home.
Going from sleeping to getting up and getting dressed.
Stop playing to get ready for dinner.
Getting ready to play outside.
For moving forward – Say, “let’s make up another song about changing activities.”
Recommended Products
Hand Tom Tom (TOM)
Wooden Sorting and Matching Ducks (CLRDUCK)
Gingerbread Sort and Snap (GINGERB)
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Toddler Brain Development
These games will help to grow the brains of toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Learning Objective - Learning to communicate verbally
You will need a rhythm stick and some smiley face stickers.
Decorate a brightly colored rhythm stick with smiley face stickers.
Seat the children in a circle and pass the stick around one child at a time. The child who is holding the stick taps it on the floor and says "My name is -----, and I like -----. Then she passes it on to the next child.
The children really enjoy this game and also discover that they have similar likes. This games is also excellent for eye-hand coordination.
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step.
For building confidence - “I like the way you hit the stick and told what you like.”
For developing the idea - “Can you tell me other things that you like?”
For moving forward: - “Lets draw some pictures of things that you like.”
Learning Objective - Developing fine motor skills
Say this finger play with your children.
Two nice fathers met in the lane
(hold thumbs up)
Bowed most politely and bowed again.
(bend thumbs toward each other)
How do you do, how do you do
And how do you do again
(move thumbs as if they were talking to one another)
Continue on with the finger play.
Index finger - two nice mothers met in the lane....etc
Middle finger - two nice teachers....etc
Ring finger - two nice children....etc
Little fingers - two little babies....etc
When you say "babies" it's fun to talk "baby talk."
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step.
For building confidence –“ Let’s say the poem again as we move our fingers.”
For developing the idea - “You be one father and I’ll be the other as we move our thumbs.”
For moving forward – “What other family members could you make up to go with this poem?”
Learning Objective - Learning to communicate verbally
You will need a rhythm stick and some smiley face stickers.
Decorate a brightly colored rhythm stick with smiley face stickers.
Seat the children in a circle and pass the stick around one child at a time. The child who is holding the stick taps it on the floor and says "My name is -----, and I like -----. Then she passes it on to the next child.
The children really enjoy this game and also discover that they have similar likes. This games is also excellent for eye-hand coordination.
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step.
For building confidence - “I like the way you hit the stick and told what you like.”
For developing the idea - “Can you tell me other things that you like?”
For moving forward: - “Lets draw some pictures of things that you like.”
Learning Objective - Developing fine motor skills
Say this finger play with your children.
Two nice fathers met in the lane
(hold thumbs up)
Bowed most politely and bowed again.
(bend thumbs toward each other)
How do you do, how do you do
And how do you do again
(move thumbs as if they were talking to one another)
Continue on with the finger play.
Index finger - two nice mothers met in the lane....etc
Middle finger - two nice teachers....etc
Ring finger - two nice children....etc
Little fingers - two little babies....etc
When you say "babies" it's fun to talk "baby talk."
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step.
For building confidence –“ Let’s say the poem again as we move our fingers.”
For developing the idea - “You be one father and I’ll be the other as we move our thumbs.”
For moving forward – “What other family members could you make up to go with this poem?”
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Infant Brain Development
These games will help to grow the brains of infants. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Learning Objective - Identifying Body Parts
Sit in front of a mirror with your baby in your lap.
Say, “Who is that baby?”
Wave your baby’s hand and say, “Hi, baby.”
Say, “Where’s the baby’s foot?”
Wave your baby’s foot and say, “Hi, foot.”
Continue asking questions and moving different parts of your baby’s body.
Shake heads, wave bye-bye, clap hands, etc.
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – Repeat the actions with a complimentary remark. For example, you can say, “What a nice foot.”
For developing the idea – Add new actions with each body part. Move the body part up and down or back and forth.
For moving forward – Ask the person in the mirror questions about additional body parts, For example, “Where are your fingernails?”
Learning Objective - Developing fine motor skills
Show the children how to take the thumb of one hand and put it into the fist of the other hand.
Practice this activity several times.
Take your thumb and put it into the fist of the other hand.
Say the following rhyme with great drama.
Jack in the box
You sit so still
Can you come out?
Yes, I will. – pull thumb out of fist
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – “Can you show me your thumb? Can you make a fist?”
For developing the idea – “Can you put your thumb of one hand in the fist of your other hand?” (help the child if they cannot do it themselves)
For moving forward - “You did a good shop with that poem. Let’s try to make our bodies be a jack-in-the-box.
Learning Objective - Identifying Body Parts
Sit in front of a mirror with your baby in your lap.
Say, “Who is that baby?”
Wave your baby’s hand and say, “Hi, baby.”
Say, “Where’s the baby’s foot?”
Wave your baby’s foot and say, “Hi, foot.”
Continue asking questions and moving different parts of your baby’s body.
Shake heads, wave bye-bye, clap hands, etc.
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – Repeat the actions with a complimentary remark. For example, you can say, “What a nice foot.”
For developing the idea – Add new actions with each body part. Move the body part up and down or back and forth.
For moving forward – Ask the person in the mirror questions about additional body parts, For example, “Where are your fingernails?”
Learning Objective - Developing fine motor skills
Show the children how to take the thumb of one hand and put it into the fist of the other hand.
Practice this activity several times.
Take your thumb and put it into the fist of the other hand.
Say the following rhyme with great drama.
Jack in the box
You sit so still
Can you come out?
Yes, I will. – pull thumb out of fist
Things you can do to take this activity to the next step:
For building confidence – “Can you show me your thumb? Can you make a fist?”
For developing the idea – “Can you put your thumb of one hand in the fist of your other hand?” (help the child if they cannot do it themselves)
For moving forward - “You did a good shop with that poem. Let’s try to make our bodies be a jack-in-the-box.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Music for Learning
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
Circles and Music
Sit with your baby in your lap facing you.
Take one of his hands and move it around in a circular motion.
As you move it in a circular motion, sing the following to the tune of “In and Out the Window.”
Go round and round the circle
Go round and round the circle
Go round and round the circle
A circle’s very round.
Take the other hand and do the same thing.
Now move both hands at the same time.
Make circles high in the air, sideways, down low, etc.
Play some instrumental music and make the circles as you listen with your baby.
This game is a good prelude for drawing shapes to music.
Song Patting
Try song patting when changing a diaper, giving your child a bath, or any time.
Sing a favorite song to your little one and, at the same time, pat her tummy or back with your index finger to the rhythm of the song.
Always end the song with a snuggly kiss.
You can also sing one line of the song and pat only one word. For example, “Twinkle, twinkle, little (pat the word “star” but don’t sing it).”
This game helps develop a child’s sense of rhythm and listening skills.
Brain research says that for a young child's brain to grow and thrive, the child needs to be loved, held, talked to, read to, and allowed to explore.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS
Soft Block Farm - 29pcs - SFTFARM
Dressing Dolls - 18" - DRESSY
Squishy Turtle Book - NBBK33
Rhythm Sticks Movement Set - 25 pcs - ROCKSET
Circles and Music
Sit with your baby in your lap facing you.
Take one of his hands and move it around in a circular motion.
As you move it in a circular motion, sing the following to the tune of “In and Out the Window.”
Go round and round the circle
Go round and round the circle
Go round and round the circle
A circle’s very round.
Take the other hand and do the same thing.
Now move both hands at the same time.
Make circles high in the air, sideways, down low, etc.
Play some instrumental music and make the circles as you listen with your baby.
This game is a good prelude for drawing shapes to music.
Song Patting
Try song patting when changing a diaper, giving your child a bath, or any time.
Sing a favorite song to your little one and, at the same time, pat her tummy or back with your index finger to the rhythm of the song.
Always end the song with a snuggly kiss.
You can also sing one line of the song and pat only one word. For example, “Twinkle, twinkle, little (pat the word “star” but don’t sing it).”
This game helps develop a child’s sense of rhythm and listening skills.
Brain research says that for a young child's brain to grow and thrive, the child needs to be loved, held, talked to, read to, and allowed to explore.
SUGGESTED PRODUCTS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS
Soft Block Farm - 29pcs - SFTFARM
Dressing Dolls - 18" - DRESSY
Squishy Turtle Book - NBBK33
Rhythm Sticks Movement Set - 25 pcs - ROCKSET
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Games for Toddlers
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
FOR TODDLERS
Choo Choo Happy Game
When you repeat the same word many times and then change to a new word, your toddler will pay attention to the new word. This is called “shaping.”
Hold your toddler on your lap facing you.
Say the words “choo choo” as you bounce her up and down on your knees. Repeat the words several times and then add a different word. For example:
Choo choo choo choo happy
Repeat this several times so that she becomes familiar with the new word “happy.”
Now, use the new word “happy” in several sentences.
“I’m a happy mom,” or “Here’s a happy face.”
Now say the word “happy” several times and add a new word.
Happy, happy, happy, happy, (new word).
Use the new word in a few sentences before you play the game again.
Your baby will become familiar with the word “happy” and other words that you use and will recognize them when she hears them.
This game teaches word recognition.
FOR TODDLERS
Choo Choo Happy Game
When you repeat the same word many times and then change to a new word, your toddler will pay attention to the new word. This is called “shaping.”
Hold your toddler on your lap facing you.
Say the words “choo choo” as you bounce her up and down on your knees. Repeat the words several times and then add a different word. For example:
Choo choo choo choo happy
Repeat this several times so that she becomes familiar with the new word “happy.”
Now, use the new word “happy” in several sentences.
“I’m a happy mom,” or “Here’s a happy face.”
Now say the word “happy” several times and add a new word.
Happy, happy, happy, happy, (new word).
Use the new word in a few sentences before you play the game again.
Your baby will become familiar with the word “happy” and other words that you use and will recognize them when she hears them.
This game teaches word recognition.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Games for Infants
These games will help to grow the brains of infants and toddlers. Whether it’s through singing, dancing, cuddling, rocking, talking, smelling, or tasting, you can encourage the pathways of their brains to make new connections.
FOR INFANTS
Develop your infant’s language skills when you prepare a meal or snack by chanting the following verse or singing it to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”
It’s time to find the milk
It’s time to find the milk
Hi, ho, the derry oh
It’s time to find the milk.
Walk to the refrigerator and take out the milk carton. Say, “Oh boy, I love milk. Yum, yum.”
Use the chant with other foods or household items. Take out the item, chant the verse, and then talk about the food.
-------------------------------------------------------
Expressing pleasant emotions with your baby is very good for brain development.
In addition, games such as this one develop language skills.
Brain research says that tone and facial expressions are understood before words. Emotional learning is intertwined with all domains of learning.
Try this game.
This Is Bill
1. Sit your baby on your lap
2. Hold one ankle in each hand as you say the following rhyme:
This is Bill and this is Jill.
They went out to play.
Over and over, (move his legs over each other)
Over and over, (move his legs over in the other direction)
“This is fun,” said Bill and Jill.
And then they said, “Hooray!” (give your baby a big hug)
FOR INFANTS
Develop your infant’s language skills when you prepare a meal or snack by chanting the following verse or singing it to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell.”
It’s time to find the milk
It’s time to find the milk
Hi, ho, the derry oh
It’s time to find the milk.
Walk to the refrigerator and take out the milk carton. Say, “Oh boy, I love milk. Yum, yum.”
Use the chant with other foods or household items. Take out the item, chant the verse, and then talk about the food.
-------------------------------------------------------
Expressing pleasant emotions with your baby is very good for brain development.
In addition, games such as this one develop language skills.
Brain research says that tone and facial expressions are understood before words. Emotional learning is intertwined with all domains of learning.
Try this game.
This Is Bill
1. Sit your baby on your lap
2. Hold one ankle in each hand as you say the following rhyme:
This is Bill and this is Jill.
They went out to play.
Over and over, (move his legs over each other)
Over and over, (move his legs over in the other direction)
“This is fun,” said Bill and Jill.
And then they said, “Hooray!” (give your baby a big hug)
Monday, July 25, 2011
Learning Rhythm
THE ANTS GO MARCHING
Sing to the tune of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.’
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching out to the big parade.
Additional verses
two by two- the little one stops to tie his shoe
three by three - the little one stops to climb a tree
four by four - the little one stops to fall on the floor
five by five - the little one stops to joke and jive
six by six - the little one stops to do some tricks
seven by seven -the little one stops to point to heaven
eight by eight - the little one stops to shut the gate
nine by nine - the little one stops to read a sign
ten by ten - the little stops to say “THE END.”
1. March around the room and sing the song. Act out each part that says, “the little one stopped to...”
2. Substitute other actions for the word marching, as follows:
The ants go skipping . . .
The ants go hopping . . .
The ants go swimming . . .
3. Experiment with ant voices. Teeny, squeaky voices are lots of fun.
4. Party stores carry plastic ants. Singing and counting the ants as you move them along is a great game.
Moving to Music
The more rhythm experiences a young child has, the better they will relate to the world. Talking, reading, and moving all improve with rhythm activities.
Play some instrumental music and move with your child. If the music is fast, move quickly. If the music is slow, move slowly.
Encourage the children to copy your actions. Say things like “Can you turn like me?” or “Can you bend like me?”
Vary the musical sounds from high to low, loud to soft, and fast to slow.
Sing to the tune of “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.’
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching out to the big parade.
Additional verses
two by two- the little one stops to tie his shoe
three by three - the little one stops to climb a tree
four by four - the little one stops to fall on the floor
five by five - the little one stops to joke and jive
six by six - the little one stops to do some tricks
seven by seven -the little one stops to point to heaven
eight by eight - the little one stops to shut the gate
nine by nine - the little one stops to read a sign
ten by ten - the little stops to say “THE END.”
1. March around the room and sing the song. Act out each part that says, “the little one stopped to...”
2. Substitute other actions for the word marching, as follows:
The ants go skipping . . .
The ants go hopping . . .
The ants go swimming . . .
3. Experiment with ant voices. Teeny, squeaky voices are lots of fun.
4. Party stores carry plastic ants. Singing and counting the ants as you move them along is a great game.
Moving to Music
The more rhythm experiences a young child has, the better they will relate to the world. Talking, reading, and moving all improve with rhythm activities.
Play some instrumental music and move with your child. If the music is fast, move quickly. If the music is slow, move slowly.
Encourage the children to copy your actions. Say things like “Can you turn like me?” or “Can you bend like me?”
Vary the musical sounds from high to low, loud to soft, and fast to slow.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Toddler Brain Development
A young child's brain grows at a phenomenal rate in the early years of life opening a window of opportunity for learning that occurs only once in a lifetime.
These simple games will promote early brain development for toddlers.
FLY LITTLE BIRD
Children surrounded by words almost always become fluent by age 3, whatever their general intelligence. And people deprived of language as children rarely master it as adults, no matter how smart they are or how intensively they're trained.
Stand and face your toddler. Take his hands in yours.
While holding hands, walk around in a circle and sing the following rhyme with your own melody.
Fly little bird through the window - pretend to fly
Fly little bird through the door- pretend to fly
Fly little bird through the window
Fly and touch the chair.
On the words "fly and touch the chair”, pretend to fly and touch a chair. Ask your toddler to do the same thing.
Each time that you sing this little rhyme, fly and touch something different.
This game teaches vocabulary in a very pleasant way.
DRESS UP
The size of a toddler's vocabulary is strongly correlated with how much an adult talks to the child, reports Janellen Huttenlocher of the University of Chicago. At 20 months, children of chatty mothers averaged 131 more words than children of less talkative mothers; at 2 years, the gap had more than doubled to 295 words.
Here is another fun game that develops language skills.
Playing dress up is something toddlers love to do. As you discuss the various clothes with your child, you are developing language and giving your child new vocabulary.
Gather together all kinds of clothing...hats, scarves, shoes, gloves, whatever you think that your toddler would enjoy.
Put one of the hats on your head and say, “How do you do, Mr. (child’s name)?"
Put on a glove and say “Oh, this feels so smooth.”
Encourage you child to pick an article of clothing . Help him with words if he doesn’t have his own.
Soon, a conversation will ensue and the language will flow.
These simple games will promote early brain development for toddlers.
FLY LITTLE BIRD
Children surrounded by words almost always become fluent by age 3, whatever their general intelligence. And people deprived of language as children rarely master it as adults, no matter how smart they are or how intensively they're trained.
Stand and face your toddler. Take his hands in yours.
While holding hands, walk around in a circle and sing the following rhyme with your own melody.
Fly little bird through the window - pretend to fly
Fly little bird through the door- pretend to fly
Fly little bird through the window
Fly and touch the chair.
On the words "fly and touch the chair”, pretend to fly and touch a chair. Ask your toddler to do the same thing.
Each time that you sing this little rhyme, fly and touch something different.
This game teaches vocabulary in a very pleasant way.
DRESS UP
The size of a toddler's vocabulary is strongly correlated with how much an adult talks to the child, reports Janellen Huttenlocher of the University of Chicago. At 20 months, children of chatty mothers averaged 131 more words than children of less talkative mothers; at 2 years, the gap had more than doubled to 295 words.
Here is another fun game that develops language skills.
Playing dress up is something toddlers love to do. As you discuss the various clothes with your child, you are developing language and giving your child new vocabulary.
Gather together all kinds of clothing...hats, scarves, shoes, gloves, whatever you think that your toddler would enjoy.
Put one of the hats on your head and say, “How do you do, Mr. (child’s name)?"
Put on a glove and say “Oh, this feels so smooth.”
Encourage you child to pick an article of clothing . Help him with words if he doesn’t have his own.
Soon, a conversation will ensue and the language will flow.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Infant Brain Development
A young child's brain grows at a phenomenal rate in the early years of life opening a window of opportunity for learning that occurs only once in a lifetime.
These simple games will promote early brain development for Infants and toddlers. Activites for toddler brain development will follow in a different post next week, so be sure to tune in!
REMEMBERING – This game helps to develop your baby’s memory.
Place two blocks in front of your baby. The blocks should be totally different in appearance.
Say to your baby, “This is the red block.” as you pick it up. (Describe the block you are picking up)
Take the red block and put it behind your back.
Make sure that your little one is watching where you put the block.
Ask your baby, “Where is the red block?"
He will give you a sign that he knows where it is. Pointing and making sounds are ways that your infant can communicate with you.
Praise him with cheers, claps, oohs and aahs.
Repeat with the second block.
If this is working, you can hide the block in different places. Some ideas are: behind the baby, under a nearby table or chair, or under a blanket or a scarf.
MIRROR GAMES
The neurons for vision begin to form very early. Babies need stimulating visual experiences to help develop their neurons.
Looking into a mirror is great fun and gives your baby another perspective on who he is.
Here are some things that you can do with your baby as you look into a full length mirror.
Smile.
Shake different parts of the body.
Make faces with silly sounds.
Make sounds with your lips.
Make animal sounds.
Rock back and forth.
These simple games will promote early brain development for Infants and toddlers. Activites for toddler brain development will follow in a different post next week, so be sure to tune in!
REMEMBERING – This game helps to develop your baby’s memory.
Place two blocks in front of your baby. The blocks should be totally different in appearance.
Say to your baby, “This is the red block.” as you pick it up. (Describe the block you are picking up)
Take the red block and put it behind your back.
Make sure that your little one is watching where you put the block.
Ask your baby, “Where is the red block?"
He will give you a sign that he knows where it is. Pointing and making sounds are ways that your infant can communicate with you.
Praise him with cheers, claps, oohs and aahs.
Repeat with the second block.
If this is working, you can hide the block in different places. Some ideas are: behind the baby, under a nearby table or chair, or under a blanket or a scarf.
MIRROR GAMES
The neurons for vision begin to form very early. Babies need stimulating visual experiences to help develop their neurons.
Looking into a mirror is great fun and gives your baby another perspective on who he is.
Here are some things that you can do with your baby as you look into a full length mirror.
Smile.
Shake different parts of the body.
Make faces with silly sounds.
Make sounds with your lips.
Make animal sounds.
Rock back and forth.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Nursery Rhymes
Nursery rhymes can play an important part in children’s lives. For many children, nursery rhymes are the first songs and stories that they hear.
I remember as a child learning and singing nursery rhymes at home and at school. Think about the ones that you know and teach them to your children.
Nursery rhymes stimulate memory, improve language skills, develop appreciation for music, enrich vocabulary, phonemic awareness, encourage thinking skills, and develop pre-reading skills….and best of all, they are fun!
LITTLE MISS MUFFET
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider and sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
This is a lot of fun to role play. You will need a group of children.
The children take turns being Miss Muffet pretending to eat curds and whey. Another child pretends to sneak up behind her as the spider. Students are encouraged to scream a really good "eeek!"
I wrote an additional verse to Miss Muffet. It appears on the Sniggles, Squirrels, and Chickenpox CD and in the I Love Children Songbook.
Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider and sat down beside her
And said “what a very nice day.”
WHO AM I?
Using nursery rhymes that your children are familiar with, play this game.
When the subject is identified, everyone says the nursery rhyme together.
Give clues to nursery rhyme characters. For example:
I am a girl.
I have an animal that follows me to school.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece as white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went
That lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rules,
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.
Clue: I am a mouse
I like to run up and down clocks
Hickory, Dickory, Dock
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse did run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
Clue: I am round.
I sat on a wall and fell down.
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses and all the King's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Nursery rhymes will help stimulate your child's memory, improve their language skills and develop their appreciation for music.
I remember as a child learning and singing nursery rhymes at home and at school. Think about the ones that you know and teach them to your children.
Nursery rhymes stimulate memory, improve language skills, develop appreciation for music, enrich vocabulary, phonemic awareness, encourage thinking skills, and develop pre-reading skills….and best of all, they are fun!
LITTLE MISS MUFFET
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
Along came a spider and sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
This is a lot of fun to role play. You will need a group of children.
The children take turns being Miss Muffet pretending to eat curds and whey. Another child pretends to sneak up behind her as the spider. Students are encouraged to scream a really good "eeek!"
I wrote an additional verse to Miss Muffet. It appears on the Sniggles, Squirrels, and Chickenpox CD and in the I Love Children Songbook.
Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet
Eating her curds and whey.
Along came a spider and sat down beside her
And said “what a very nice day.”
WHO AM I?
Using nursery rhymes that your children are familiar with, play this game.
When the subject is identified, everyone says the nursery rhyme together.
Give clues to nursery rhyme characters. For example:
I am a girl.
I have an animal that follows me to school.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb
Its fleece as white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went
That lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rules,
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.
Clue: I am a mouse
I like to run up and down clocks
Hickory, Dickory, Dock
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse did run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
Clue: I am round.
I sat on a wall and fell down.
Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the King's horses and all the King's men,
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
Nursery rhymes will help stimulate your child's memory, improve their language skills and develop their appreciation for music.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Toddlers - Touch
Games involving the senses help develop memory in young children.
When areas of the brain experience a stimulus, it increases the strength of the signal to the brain.
Here are some games that you can play that will develop the sense of touch.
BAG MYSTERIES
Fill three plastic bags with different textured materials. For example, popcorn, cooked pasta, and jello.
Let the children feel the bags and tell you how it feels.
It’s important for you to give the children the vocabulary to use: squishy, hard, soft, smooth, etc.
HEAD AND SHOULDERS
Touch the body parts as you say the words in the chant. If you want to sing the chant, it goes to the tune of “Tavern in the Town.”
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Start slowly and each time you say the words, go a little faster. The children love to do this.
FEELING FRUIT
Take an orange, an apple, and a banana and place them in separate plastic bags.
Ask the children to identify the fruit by feeling the bag and not looking at it.
FEEL THE SHAPE
Cut several assorted sized shapes from heavy cardboard or tag board. A circle, a square, a triangle and any others that the children will recognize.
Ask a child to close his eyes. Ask him to feel the shape and to guess what shape it is by using his sense of touch. Let each child to have a turn.
A TOUCH POEM
Touch your shoulders,
Touch your knees,
Touch your hands behind you please.
Touch your elbows,
touch your toes
Touch your hair,
and touch your nose!
Touch the wall,
Touch the floor,
Touch the table,
Touch the door.
TOUCH THE ROOM
Give your child directions to walk around the room and look for different textures to touch. This will familiarize them with the way things feel.
Start with soft. Look around the room and touch something soft. How many soft things can we find?
Continue on with hard, bumpy, cold, warm and smooth.
When areas of the brain experience a stimulus, it increases the strength of the signal to the brain.
Here are some games that you can play that will develop the sense of touch.
BAG MYSTERIES
Fill three plastic bags with different textured materials. For example, popcorn, cooked pasta, and jello.
Let the children feel the bags and tell you how it feels.
It’s important for you to give the children the vocabulary to use: squishy, hard, soft, smooth, etc.
HEAD AND SHOULDERS
Touch the body parts as you say the words in the chant. If you want to sing the chant, it goes to the tune of “Tavern in the Town.”
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose,
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Start slowly and each time you say the words, go a little faster. The children love to do this.
FEELING FRUIT
Take an orange, an apple, and a banana and place them in separate plastic bags.
Ask the children to identify the fruit by feeling the bag and not looking at it.
FEEL THE SHAPE
Cut several assorted sized shapes from heavy cardboard or tag board. A circle, a square, a triangle and any others that the children will recognize.
Ask a child to close his eyes. Ask him to feel the shape and to guess what shape it is by using his sense of touch. Let each child to have a turn.
A TOUCH POEM
Touch your shoulders,
Touch your knees,
Touch your hands behind you please.
Touch your elbows,
touch your toes
Touch your hair,
and touch your nose!
Touch the wall,
Touch the floor,
Touch the table,
Touch the door.
TOUCH THE ROOM
Give your child directions to walk around the room and look for different textures to touch. This will familiarize them with the way things feel.
Start with soft. Look around the room and touch something soft. How many soft things can we find?
Continue on with hard, bumpy, cold, warm and smooth.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Infants - Cause and Effect
Infants enjoy dropping things.
Use the following games as learning experiences for your infants.
Babies like to throw things out of the high chair or over the side of the crib. They watch the objects fall and
listen to the sound it makes when it hits the floor. Your baby is exploring cause and effect relationships.
LISTEN TO THE SOUND
Your baby should be sitting in a high chair.
Take a large basket or a pot and put it on the floor next to the highchair.
Fill a separate container with several small objects and place the container in front of your baby.
Take something from the container and drop it into the basket.
Ask your baby to copy you..
If he doesn’t understand, put one of the objects in his hand and help him drop it..
When it drops, say words like “bumpity bump” or “ding dong.”
Give the baby objects that fall with different sounds. For example: a rattle, a wooden spoon, a ball, and a washcloth. Talk about the different sounds. “Oh, that was so soft.” “That rattle sounded noisy.”
BOUNCING
Another reason that babies like to throw things out of the high chair is to see what happens to the object.
Does it bounce like a ball or does it stay still? Actually, she is learning about the laws of gravity.
Give her a wadded up piece of paper to throw on the floor. Next, give her a tennis ball or small rubber ball to do the same.
Talk about the differences. “Oh look, that ball bounced. Oh look, the paper didn’t bounce. Here is a block. I wonder if it will bounce.”
When your baby throws food on the floor, she is probably wanting to see if it will bounce!
Use the following games as learning experiences for your infants.
Babies like to throw things out of the high chair or over the side of the crib. They watch the objects fall and
listen to the sound it makes when it hits the floor. Your baby is exploring cause and effect relationships.
LISTEN TO THE SOUND
Your baby should be sitting in a high chair.
Take a large basket or a pot and put it on the floor next to the highchair.
Fill a separate container with several small objects and place the container in front of your baby.
Take something from the container and drop it into the basket.
Ask your baby to copy you..
If he doesn’t understand, put one of the objects in his hand and help him drop it..
When it drops, say words like “bumpity bump” or “ding dong.”
Give the baby objects that fall with different sounds. For example: a rattle, a wooden spoon, a ball, and a washcloth. Talk about the different sounds. “Oh, that was so soft.” “That rattle sounded noisy.”
BOUNCING
Another reason that babies like to throw things out of the high chair is to see what happens to the object.
Does it bounce like a ball or does it stay still? Actually, she is learning about the laws of gravity.
Give her a wadded up piece of paper to throw on the floor. Next, give her a tennis ball or small rubber ball to do the same.
Talk about the differences. “Oh look, that ball bounced. Oh look, the paper didn’t bounce. Here is a block. I wonder if it will bounce.”
When your baby throws food on the floor, she is probably wanting to see if it will bounce!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Games for Enjoying Music with Children
Children of all ages express themselves through music. Even at an early age children sway, bounce, and move their hands in response to the music they hear.
Here are two games for enjoying music with your children.
GROWING UP
1. Pretend to be a little seed just planted in the ground.
2. Water the little seed.
3. Let the sun shine on the little seed.
4. Sing the scale and pretend to grow as the music goes up.
5. Singing the scale means: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do....just like in the song "Doe a deer, a female deer."
6. When you come to the last note in the scale, say "Look, now I'm a beautiful flower!"
NOW IT'S TIME
1. Sit on the floor with your child and do what the words say.
2. Sing to the tune of "London Bridge."
Now it's time to touch our nose
Touch our nose, touch our nose
Now it's time to touch our nose
My fair (child's name)
Now it's time to blink our eyes
Now it's time to touch our toes
Now it's time to shake our feet
Now it's time to stand up tall
Now it's time to sit back down
Here are two games for enjoying music with your children.
GROWING UP
1. Pretend to be a little seed just planted in the ground.
2. Water the little seed.
3. Let the sun shine on the little seed.
4. Sing the scale and pretend to grow as the music goes up.
5. Singing the scale means: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do....just like in the song "Doe a deer, a female deer."
6. When you come to the last note in the scale, say "Look, now I'm a beautiful flower!"
NOW IT'S TIME
1. Sit on the floor with your child and do what the words say.
2. Sing to the tune of "London Bridge."
Now it's time to touch our nose
Touch our nose, touch our nose
Now it's time to touch our nose
My fair (child's name)
Now it's time to blink our eyes
Now it's time to touch our toes
Now it's time to shake our feet
Now it's time to stand up tall
Now it's time to sit back down
Monday, April 11, 2011
Set the Stage for Future Learning
The games in this section are designed for parents, grandparents and all adults who want to nurture their toddlers mentally as well as emotionally. Each game involves simple words, movements and interactions that cultivate one or more of the basic skills --language, thinking, social and physical manipulation -- that set the stage for all future learning.
CAR PUPPETS
This game will keep your toddler occupied in the car and develop her language skills.
1. Draw a face on each of your child's thumbs with a felt tip marker.
2. Name the thumb puppets so that you can talk to them. "Hello, funny face," or "How are you, Billy?"
3. As you drive, talk to the thumb puppets. Your toddler can talk back to you or just move his thumbs up and down in reply.
4. Here are some things that you can say to the puppets.
"Do you see that red car?"
"Look at the beautiful trees."
"Red light stop, green light go."
5. Ask the puppets to join you in singing a familiar song like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
6. Play for three to five minutes
COLOR WALK
This game will help your child recognize colors for visual and vocabulary development.
1. Take your toddler on a color walk through your house. Select a certain color toy and take
it with you.
2. Find one or two objects in each room that are the same color as the toy you are carrying.
3. Talk about what you've found. For example, "Bobby's yellow shirt is the same color as your yellow ball," or "My blue blouse is the same color as your blue block."
4. Another variation of this game is to carry a laundry basket around, collecting toys and other objects of the same color.
CAR PUPPETS
This game will keep your toddler occupied in the car and develop her language skills.
1. Draw a face on each of your child's thumbs with a felt tip marker.
2. Name the thumb puppets so that you can talk to them. "Hello, funny face," or "How are you, Billy?"
3. As you drive, talk to the thumb puppets. Your toddler can talk back to you or just move his thumbs up and down in reply.
4. Here are some things that you can say to the puppets.
"Do you see that red car?"
"Look at the beautiful trees."
"Red light stop, green light go."
5. Ask the puppets to join you in singing a familiar song like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
6. Play for three to five minutes
COLOR WALK
This game will help your child recognize colors for visual and vocabulary development.
1. Take your toddler on a color walk through your house. Select a certain color toy and take
it with you.
2. Find one or two objects in each room that are the same color as the toy you are carrying.
3. Talk about what you've found. For example, "Bobby's yellow shirt is the same color as your yellow ball," or "My blue blouse is the same color as your blue block."
4. Another variation of this game is to carry a laundry basket around, collecting toys and other objects of the same color.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Essential Ingredient in Infant Care
The most essential ingredient in infant care is a warm, responsive, and dependable adult caregiver. Try to spend lots of time holding, cuddling, and playing with the infants in your care. You will be richly rewarded with babbles, smiles, and squeals of laughter.
Here are are two games to play that help an infant’s neurons connect to parts of the brain that develop confidence and trust. Recommended for 3-6 month old infants.
NUGGLE NOSE1. Hold your baby in the air and say, “Nose, nose, nuggle nose.”
2 On the word “nuggle,” bring him down and touch your nose to his.
3. Keep repeating this game touching noses on the word “nuggle.”4. After you have played this a few times, say the word “nuggle” more than one time, always touching noses on the word “nuggle.”5. For example, say “nuggle, nuggle, nuggle, nose.”
Gently touching your baby will make him feel secure and safe, enabling him to become confident and, eventually, independent.
GOING UP THE ESCALATOR
1. Hold onto baby’s fingers and gently lift baby’s arms as you say the following rhyme:
Going up the escalator
Up, up, up.
Going down the escalator
Down, down, down.
2. Lift your baby’s legs and say the rhyme.
3. Continue lifting different parts of your baby’s body, saying the rhyme each time.
4. Try ending with lifting him up in the air and down.
5. Always give a kiss on the down part.
Loving attachments help babies develop trust.
Here are are two games to play that help an infant’s neurons connect to parts of the brain that develop confidence and trust. Recommended for 3-6 month old infants.
NUGGLE NOSE1. Hold your baby in the air and say, “Nose, nose, nuggle nose.”
2 On the word “nuggle,” bring him down and touch your nose to his.
3. Keep repeating this game touching noses on the word “nuggle.”4. After you have played this a few times, say the word “nuggle” more than one time, always touching noses on the word “nuggle.”5. For example, say “nuggle, nuggle, nuggle, nose.”
Gently touching your baby will make him feel secure and safe, enabling him to become confident and, eventually, independent.
GOING UP THE ESCALATOR
1. Hold onto baby’s fingers and gently lift baby’s arms as you say the following rhyme:
Going up the escalator
Up, up, up.
Going down the escalator
Down, down, down.
2. Lift your baby’s legs and say the rhyme.
3. Continue lifting different parts of your baby’s body, saying the rhyme each time.
4. Try ending with lifting him up in the air and down.
5. Always give a kiss on the down part.
Loving attachments help babies develop trust.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Learning with Play
Here is a quick and easy activity you can do with your toddler to show them how household goods are used as you play!
1. Select several objects such as a toothbrush, a spoon, or a cup that your toddler is familiar with and uses on a regular basis.
2. Sit on the floor and put the objects in front of you.
3. Pick up one object, such as the toothbrush, and pretend to brush your teeth.
4, Pick up each object and pretend to use it.
5. Ask your toddler to pick up one of the objects and show you how he would use it.
6. This is a great game to develop your toddler’s thinking skills and help him imagine other things to do with the same object, such as using a cup to drink from and for pouring.
1. Select several objects such as a toothbrush, a spoon, or a cup that your toddler is familiar with and uses on a regular basis.
2. Sit on the floor and put the objects in front of you.
3. Pick up one object, such as the toothbrush, and pretend to brush your teeth.
4, Pick up each object and pretend to use it.
5. Ask your toddler to pick up one of the objects and show you how he would use it.
6. This is a great game to develop your toddler’s thinking skills and help him imagine other things to do with the same object, such as using a cup to drink from and for pouring.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Clap Your Hands!
Here is a simple activity to try with your infant or toddler as they learn about the speed and rhythm of music!
Sing this familiar song very slowly to the tune of "Row, Row, Your Boat.”
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Slowly every day. (clap your hands slowly)
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, (keep clapping)
Then we shout, "Hooray." (Jump up and down and shout "hooray" slowly…..”hoooo ray”)
Sing again faster.
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Faster every day. (clap your hands faster)
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Then we shout, "Hooray."
1. Sing this song with different actions. Always do the actions slowly at first, then speed them up. When children do fast and slow actions, they begin to internalize the concepts.
2. Other actions to try are: roll your hands, shake your hands, wave your hands, stamp your feet, and shake your hips.
3. Before a child can process language, he can process music. Early music experiences increase and enhance spatial-temporal reasoning and the learning of mathematical concepts.
Sing this familiar song very slowly to the tune of "Row, Row, Your Boat.”
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Slowly every day. (clap your hands slowly)
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, (keep clapping)
Then we shout, "Hooray." (Jump up and down and shout "hooray" slowly…..”hoooo ray”)
Sing again faster.
Clap, clap, clap your hands
Faster every day. (clap your hands faster)
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Then we shout, "Hooray."
1. Sing this song with different actions. Always do the actions slowly at first, then speed them up. When children do fast and slow actions, they begin to internalize the concepts.
2. Other actions to try are: roll your hands, shake your hands, wave your hands, stamp your feet, and shake your hips.
3. Before a child can process language, he can process music. Early music experiences increase and enhance spatial-temporal reasoning and the learning of mathematical concepts.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Infants are Hardwired for Language!
In an article from Psychology Today, titled "Infant Brains Are Hardwired for Language", author Faith Brynie states:
Brain activity in the left hemisphere language centers can be detected in infants as young as five days. Behavioral experiments have demonstrated that days- or weeks-old infants can distinguish the "melody" of their native language from the pitches and rhythms of other languages. They can assess the number of syllables in a word and perceive a change in speech sounds (such as ba versus ga), even when they hear different speakers.
Here is a game to develop this wiring.
Talking Together
1. Infants make lots of sounds. Mimic the sounds that your baby makes. These sounds will later turn into words.
2. Take the words such as “ba ba” or “ma ma,” and turn them into sentences. “Ma ma loves you.” “Ba ba says the sheep.”
3. The more you repeat the baby’s sounds, the more she will be encouraged to make more sounds.
5. This is truly the beginning of a conversation between the two of you.
Connect With Conversation
1. Start a conversation with your baby. Say a short sentence like, “It is a beautiful day today.”
2. When your baby responds with some babble, stop talking and look into his eyes.
3. As your baby talks, respond with a nod of your head or a smile.
4. This indicates to your baby that you are listening to and enjoying his sounds.
5. Continue with another sentence. Always stop and listen to your baby’s response.
6. The number of words an infant hears each day dramatically influences his or her future intelligence, and scholastic achievements.
Brain activity in the left hemisphere language centers can be detected in infants as young as five days. Behavioral experiments have demonstrated that days- or weeks-old infants can distinguish the "melody" of their native language from the pitches and rhythms of other languages. They can assess the number of syllables in a word and perceive a change in speech sounds (such as ba versus ga), even when they hear different speakers.
Here is a game to develop this wiring.
Talking Together
1. Infants make lots of sounds. Mimic the sounds that your baby makes. These sounds will later turn into words.
2. Take the words such as “ba ba” or “ma ma,” and turn them into sentences. “Ma ma loves you.” “Ba ba says the sheep.”
3. The more you repeat the baby’s sounds, the more she will be encouraged to make more sounds.
5. This is truly the beginning of a conversation between the two of you.
Connect With Conversation
1. Start a conversation with your baby. Say a short sentence like, “It is a beautiful day today.”
2. When your baby responds with some babble, stop talking and look into his eyes.
3. As your baby talks, respond with a nod of your head or a smile.
4. This indicates to your baby that you are listening to and enjoying his sounds.
5. Continue with another sentence. Always stop and listen to your baby’s response.
6. The number of words an infant hears each day dramatically influences his or her future intelligence, and scholastic achievements.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Develop and Stimulate Sight!
Neurons for vision begin forming the first few months of life. Activities that stimulate a baby’s sight will insure good visual acuity.
Pretty Light
When infants look at moving objects, a neuron from his retina makes a connection to another neuron in his visual part of the brain. He is literally wiring his vision.
1. Cover a flashlight with colored plastic wrap.
2. Hold your baby in your arms and turn on the flashlight.
3. Move it back and forth and watch as he follows the light.
4. Talk to him as you move the light
Pretty light
Pretty light
See the pretty, pretty, light.
5. Babies love to do this and they are making important connections in the brain.
Follow the Action
1. Babies love to look at faces, especially faces of people they love.
2. Try different facial expressions and sounds to develop your baby’s vision and hearing.
3. Here are some ideas:
Sing a song and use big movements with your mouth.
Blink your eyes.
Stick out your tongue.
Make contortions with your mouth.
Make lip sounds.
Cough or yawn.
Pretty Light
When infants look at moving objects, a neuron from his retina makes a connection to another neuron in his visual part of the brain. He is literally wiring his vision.
1. Cover a flashlight with colored plastic wrap.
2. Hold your baby in your arms and turn on the flashlight.
3. Move it back and forth and watch as he follows the light.
4. Talk to him as you move the light
Pretty light
Pretty light
See the pretty, pretty, light.
5. Babies love to do this and they are making important connections in the brain.
Follow the Action
1. Babies love to look at faces, especially faces of people they love.
2. Try different facial expressions and sounds to develop your baby’s vision and hearing.
3. Here are some ideas:
Sing a song and use big movements with your mouth.
Blink your eyes.
Stick out your tongue.
Make contortions with your mouth.
Make lip sounds.
Cough or yawn.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Infant Rhythm
Newborns possess a natural response to music through their conditioning in the womb to rhythm, sound, and movement. Singing and rocking provide pleasure and security while rhythmical music encourages essential activities. Listening to songs and rhymes stimulates speech and concentration and the use of percussion instruments provides an emotional outlet and helps coordination.
Dance A Baby - 3-6 months
1. This is a variation of an old English rhyme called “Dance a Baby Diddy
2. Hold your baby under her arms and dance her on a soft surface.
3. Say the rhyme and do the actions.
Dance a baby diddy
What can I do widdy
Sit on a lap - put your baby on your lap
And give her a pat - gently pat her cheek
Dance a baby diddy, dance a baby diddy - go back to dancing
4. The connections of the rhythm, movement and bonding make for good brain wiring in the future.
Dance A Baby - 3-6 months
1. This is a variation of an old English rhyme called “Dance a Baby Diddy
2. Hold your baby under her arms and dance her on a soft surface.
3. Say the rhyme and do the actions.
Dance a baby diddy
What can I do widdy
Sit on a lap - put your baby on your lap
And give her a pat - gently pat her cheek
Dance a baby diddy, dance a baby diddy - go back to dancing
4. The connections of the rhythm, movement and bonding make for good brain wiring in the future.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Infant Development
Research has shown that the more an infant is cuddled, snuggled and held, he will be more secure and independent by the time he is two years old.
Even in utero, human babies begin to recognize the muffled voices of those who care for them. By 10 days of age, they can distinguish the smell of their mother's breast milk from that of another woman. Around 5 weeks, babies demonstrate a preference for their primary caretakers by smiling or vocalizing. They follow them intently, first with their eyes, then later on hands and knees. By 9 months, many infants scream when their parents try to leave, as if to say, "I can't bear being without you!"
And so it is that babies fall in love with their caregivers. Psychologists, of course, have a less romantic name for it: attachment.
Gently touching your baby will make him feel secure and safe. Here are some games that will build confidence, independence and grow the brain.
Snuggle Buggle - I Love You
Develops Bonding
1. Hold your baby in your arms and rock her back and forth.
2. As you rock, say the words “Snuggle, buggle, I love you.”
3. On the word “you” kiss a part of her body. ...head, nose, toes, etc.
4. Soon, your little one will be offering you parts of her body to kiss.
_________________________________________
Babies respond to “parentese.” That’s the high pitched voice sound that you make when you are talking to your baby.
Baby Talk –
Develops Language
1. When you speak “parentese” to infants, you are communicating with them and encouraging vocal responses. This in turn develops language.
2. Say things like “you’re such a sweet baby” or “ look at those pretty little toes.”
3. As you speak sentences in parentese, hold the baby close to your face and look directly into her eyes.
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