Sound and Music
- Music taps in to a different part of the brain's memory than spoken words. That's why we can recall the lyrics to a song we may not have heard for decades, but have trouble remembering a conversation from yesterday.
- Because of this, music is an excellent tool for remembering important skills: the alphabet, counting, colors.
- A child's brain needs to learn to process the sounds the ears take in, so the more sounds children are exposed to, the more the brain can understand what is being heard. Repetition makes sounds familiar, and therefore, learned.
- Try using unconventional songs for your storytimes. For example, you could use Jump by Van Halen. As long as the lyrics and subject matter aren't offensive, and it has a steady beat with a simple chorus, you should be good!
Music Center -- Instead of offering a craft at the end of your toddler or preschool storytimes, try one of these ideas:
- Band Practice: Place a few storytime musical instruments on a table (if you have them): rhythm sticks, finger cymbals, bells, or anything else sturdy and not easily broken by small, busy hands. Let the children experiment as they like, or play them music they can accompany.
- Pots 'n Pans Band: Place pots, pans, lids, wooden spoons, and any other kitchen implement that is sturdy, but without rough or sharp edges, on a table. Let the children experiment with making music with these unconventional instruments, or play them music they can accompany.
- Puppet Play: Make or purchase sets of finger or hand puppets that the children may use to act out familiar musical rhymes, such as "Three Blind Mice," or "Mary Had a Little Lamb."
- Jazz Hands: Make pairs of musical gloves for the children to try out. Hot glue buttons to the fingers of one pair (for clicking noises) or small bells to another pair. Bottle caps would also work!
This is a simple clapping song, but because of it's strong rhythm, it lends itself well to other motions. With infants, caregivers can gently bounce the baby during the main parts and then lift the baby high on the first "hey bob" and swing them low on the second. You could also call out actions for older children to participate in each chorus. (Hopping, running, creeping, stomping, etc.) The Mary Mack portion of the song lends itself well to motions, too. Children can pretend to fly a plane, take a train and a boat, and ride a horse.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
A rafi, a rafi
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
A rafi, a rafi
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
Arms up high
Reach for the sky
If you want to be a ram sam master
You have to go a little faster
(End Lyric change: Now you're a ram sam master
You're a ram sam master!)
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
A rafi, a rafi
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
A rafi, a rafi
Guli, guli, guli, guli ram sam sam
Arms up high
Reach for the sky
If you want to be a ram sam master
You have to go a little faster
(End Lyric change: Now you're a ram sam master
You're a ram sam master!)
Fun to Do Together
Paper Plate Tambourine
What You Need
Any size paper plates
Hole punch
Jingle bells
Pipe cleaners, cut into 4" lengths
Stickers
Crayons or markers
Yarn or ribbon
Prepare Ahead
Thread the jingle bells halfway onto the pipe cleaners. Punch 6 holes around the lip of each plate (1 per child). Cut the yarn into 12" lengths. Set 6 threaded bells, 6 pieces of yarn, and one plate at each spot.
What You Do
Paper Plate Tambourine
What You Need
Any size paper plates
Hole punch
Jingle bells
Pipe cleaners, cut into 4" lengths
Stickers
Crayons or markers
Yarn or ribbon
Prepare Ahead
Thread the jingle bells halfway onto the pipe cleaners. Punch 6 holes around the lip of each plate (1 per child). Cut the yarn into 12" lengths. Set 6 threaded bells, 6 pieces of yarn, and one plate at each spot.
What You Do
- Children may decorate both sides of their plate with crayons and stickers as they wish.
- Once they are done, ask adult caregivers to help their children thread a pieces of yarn through one of the holes and tie a knot snugly against the edge of the plate. Repeat until each hole has a piece of yarn tied through.
- Now thread one of the pipe cleaners through each hole, twisting to secure the jingle bell in place.
- When they have finished, demonstrate how to play the tambourine: hold it in one hand and bang it on the flattened palm of the other hand.
*Toilet Paper Tube Maracas
What You Need
Toilet paper tubes
Stickers
Crayons or Markers
Beads and Bells
Stapler
What You Do
What You Need
Toilet paper tubes
Stickers
Crayons or Markers
Beads and Bells
Stapler
What You Do
- Allow the children to decorate their toilet paper tube with crayons or stickers however they would like.
- Ask the caregiver to assist the child in stapling one end of the toilet paper tube closed.
- Fill about 1/3 of the tube with beads and jingle bells. Make sure not to fill it too full, as then there will not be enough room for the filling to shake and make noise.
- Staple the other end of the toilet paper tube closed perpendicularly to the first closure.
- Shake and enjoy!
Take Home Activity: Name that Tune
Play or sing snippets of various familiar songs (Happy Birthday to You; I'm a Little Teapot; Row, Row, Row Your Boat; etc.) and have the children guess what song you're playing.
Take Home Activity: Exploring Sounds
Have caregivers lay out various items on a table for their child to examine. After a few minutes, have your child close their eyes. Make a sound such as jangling a set of keys, knocking on the table, turning on a fan, tapping a glass of water, etc. See if the child can identify each sound.
Play or sing snippets of various familiar songs (Happy Birthday to You; I'm a Little Teapot; Row, Row, Row Your Boat; etc.) and have the children guess what song you're playing.
Take Home Activity: Exploring Sounds
Have caregivers lay out various items on a table for their child to examine. After a few minutes, have your child close their eyes. Make a sound such as jangling a set of keys, knocking on the table, turning on a fan, tapping a glass of water, etc. See if the child can identify each sound.