File this one under silly.
I know from my five Music Together classes that it is important to infuse more music, singing, chanting, and scarf-play into our daily lives. So, I challenge you to integrate these activities into your day today.
I discovered this silly trick with my childhood best friend, Monica (as adults). For a whole morning, we challenged ourselves to sing instead of speak. I sang, “pass me the cereal” and she replied lyrically, “oh yes I will!”
Sing your way through a making dinner or getting your baby dressed (when nobody else is home). Make sure to repeat a chorus (of your own creation) and invent a little dance move or sequence. Stuck on the tune?
Baby Holden is dancing
Try to invent your own lyrics to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (which is the ABC’s song and Baa Baa Black Sheep for a reason) or Frere Jacques.
Let us know your clever combinations in the comments.
My Maisie and I (she’s 2.5 months, I’m 32) are co-composing an operetta about Princess Maisie and Count Poopula, in which the evil Count tried to take over Pooptopia and Maisie must fight him. There are musical themes, some choral numbers, and plenty of choreography. And I don’t even play an instrument–never had one lesson. It’s magic.
We play Diana Ross’s “Upside down” song and dance to all the lyrics… when she sings ‘upside down, boy you turn me, inside out, and round and round’ we have moves that end in spinning until we fall down laughing hysterically!!
Also, Michael Jackson’s ABC song is a hit around here! ABC, easy as 123!!
I sing life as well and was inspired by Kindermusik class. The teacher sang,”Toys away, toys away, time to put the toys away,” and my son did it!
At Swim & Gym at the Y, the teachers sang each kid’s name and said,” X is going to gym today, gym today, gym today. X is going to gym today and we’ll have fun!”
I use both of those as well as songs from Signing Time about daily life and invented songs. It seems to reinforce the schedule and really helped when taking my son to school and daycare.
Today, this kids requested Old MacDonald in the farm, and I couldn’t bear the thought of mooing and oinking one more time, so I made up a whole bunch of non-animal things Old MacDonald could have: a t-shirt (and he put on his pants and boots and hat and jacket), a pancake (which he ate with syrup and juice and fruit and eggs), etc. They cracked up!
Heres a great list of music for parents and children! http://www.diyfather.com/content/music-for-kids-and-parents
When my daughter was about 3 weeks old, and having a fussy day, I put on some Bob Marley… specifically “No Woman No Cry” during a diaper change. It entertained me, even if the irony was lost on her 🙂
I always sing when my 6-month old son is on the changing table. During particularly gross changes I replace the lyrics of Cookie Monster’s “C is for Cookie” with “P is for Poopie.” It keeps James happy and giggly and cracks me up.