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.