Tips and resources to support children birth to age five
What Do You Like To Sing?
When I need to hold the attention of a squirmy baby or want to keep a child entertained in the car when stuck in traffic, a song seems to be just the thing. There’s something about a song that startles a child out of her present mood, gets her attention, or just brightens the moment. If you’ve used singing in these sorts of situations yourself, you know what I mean.Luckily, children don’t care if we’re not great singers. And the choice of song doesn’t matter very much either, though bouncy and upbeat songs have a different effect than slow and quiet ones. I’ve sung “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain (When She Comes)” to a child waiting for a parent to return. It just fits. And, of course, “Rubber Duckie” from Sesame Street is great to sing in the bath.
A song that provides a place for the child to contribute is good when you need to keep a child engaged for a while. “Old McDonald Had A Farm” works well for this, since you can pause for the child to supply the next animal or to make the animal noises along with you. And any song, sung quietly and slowly, can become a lullaby.
These are songs from my own childhood and experience. Your own childhood and experience will supply a whole different set of songs. What do you like to sing? What songs do you and your child enjoy?
Please share your thoughts by adding a comment below.
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http://www.earlylearningcommunity.org/page/tips-from-dr-patricia-nan
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Meggan on -
My little girl has loved music since she was a baby. At just five months old, I noticed she would babble/sing at the top of her lungs trying to sing with the performers while we were watching the Macy's Christmas Day parade. Once she is old enough I am going to enroll her in voice lessons. She just turned two and can already sing about 15 songs including the ABC's from A-Z. Her favorite song changes from day to day. She especially loves the ones that have motions and where she can get others to participate. This week her favorite song has been, I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee. A few of her other favorites are Barney's I love you song, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Old Mac Donald, Ba Ba Black sheep, Ring around the Rosey, The Wheels on the Bus, and Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.
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Permalink Reply by Chrissy G. on -
My nieces and I enjoy Twinkle Twinkle Little Star which was my favorite song as a kid. We also like to see B.I.N.G.O because well who doesn't? It's a fun, energetic song to sing with kids. However, I think it's important to teach kids other songs aside from childhood ones. Beatles Yellow Submarine is an amazing option :)
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Permalink Reply by chris on
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If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!!! and You are my sunshine are favorites of my family. With each of my children I sang a different song for sleep or soothing time, these are "our song"s. My oldest daughter will call me when she hears one of our songs on the readio just to share. My youngest daughter thinks every Reba song is "ours".
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Permalink Reply by selina on
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When me and my kids are in the car we luv to sing the current songs on the radio. They know all the words by heart. I think the new generation of children is growing out of little bow peep and the wheels on the bus. I sure hope i did not hurt any psychologist feelings!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by Sandy Bodner on -
My daughter and I like to sing a lot of the typical children's songs. Our favorites are: Hokey Pokey, Wheels on the Bus, ABC's, Old MacDonald, rain rain go away (we do live in the northwest). However, lately we have been singing a lot more nursery rhymes.
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Permalink Reply by Margaret Edgar on -
As a former preschool teacher the songs in my repertoire are too numerous to mention, but my two year old great-nephew is particularly fond of “Three Little Ducks”. He loves the pantomimes that accompany the song – especially water in the pond. His older sister loved “Three Little Monkeys Swinging in the Tree”. (Poetic license: Five ducks or monkeys can be a little monotonous, so I shorten them to three.) My personal favorites are from Ella Jenkins – “Mary Mack”; “Did You Feed My Cow”; “Pole Pole”; and “I’ll Sing A Song”. Pete Seeger, Bessie Jones, Peter Yarrow, and Sons of the Pioneers are other favorites. Singing and reading aloud were my favorite events of the day and songs were something children could take home along with their artwork. There many times that a parent would approach me at the beginning of the day and ask me about a mysterious frog song, or for the words to a particular call and response. Nine times out of ten it was the parent of the child who sat quietly at circle without singing. Then I would hear that they sing all the way home!
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Permalink Reply by Cody Tapia on
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My husband and I try to sing to our Daughter in my (English) and his (Spanish) native languages. We really enjoy the songs from the book Pio, Peep! They're traditional spanish nursery rhymes and songs in both Spanish and English. Some of them are upbeat and some of them are lullabies.
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Permalink Reply by Foundation for Early Learning on -
Congratulations to Cody Tapia! She was randomly selected this week to win a $25 gift card from Starbucks. I would like to thank everyone who participated.
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Permalink Reply by Suzette Espinoza-Cruz on -
Music has always been a major part of my life. During my early years my mother often had music playing in the background. My father is a musician and also spends time now as a grandfather playing his music and singing with his grandchildren.
When I was upset with my mother would often sing a silly to lighten the mood and make me laugh.
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Permalink Reply by Foundation for Early Learning on
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A special congrats to Cody for winning our weekly contest. You will receive a $25 Starbucks giftcard. Thanks for supporting the ELC!
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Permalink Reply by Nicole Kephart on
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My 4 year old son and I love to sing Wheels on the Bus, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Five Little Monkey's. For quiet moments or when I am trying to calm him I sing Jesus Loves me. Although I think his absolute favorite is Hush, Little Baby because when I couldn't remember all of the song I started putting my own words to it like buying him ice cream cones, and big trucks, ect. He loved it!
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Permalink Reply by Michael Brown on
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The candy man, Not so much for the candy, but just the joyus feeling of that song, Also a music class favorite at New York School Don Gato. real neat song
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