Several weeks ago I wrote a post about how I put together a Mommy and Me Music Class (Music with my Munchkins). It mainly focused on songs for my toddler, but I have been meaning to update with a post about how to incorporate to music with infants (in case your new around here, I have an 18 month old and a 6 month old. See my sidebar for pictures of these cuties).
One way I like to incorporate music in our day is to play with instruments. I have always loved instruments and always loved looking Here for reviews on musical instruments. Hunter loves having the piano set in front of him as he army crawls/wiggles/rolls to hit the keys! At this stage in his development he is learning he has an influence on his environment (he is no longer passively observing his surroundings, but seeks to influence aspects of it with the controlled actions of his body). Rattles and drums could be great musical instruments for this stage of development. Someday in the future, hopefully, I get to invest in custom drum wraps or similar personalized ones for him. Or maybe a piano. We never know what our babies will find interesting. I have heard that piano lessons are great for brain development and growing creativity. So, inculcating music instrument lessons might be good for them. What if you have a child prodigy! Anyway, try finding ways to develop their sensory organs. For now, I love looking for unique ones made from different materials (wooden maracas, vintage metal rattles, or even plastic eggs) to incorporate different sensory learning opportunities. Although they tend to fall out of Hunter’s hands and produce frustration, that frustration encourages side to side mobility while he works on retrieving them. What are your favorite instruments to introduce to infants? If you’re wanting to start introducing more complex instruments as they age, but you’re not wanting to spend a lot of money on purchasing their own, especially when they might not even take to it, you might think of looking into instrument rentals such as this company that offers viola rental as well as other stringed instruments.
Besides instruments, I also sing simple songs so Hunter has a chance to hear the rhythmic flow of language and begin to learn that words have meaning (as he will observe with action songs). Most of these songs are simple rhymes without having to fuss with CD’s or ipods.
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| For infants 🙂 |
Here are Baby’s Fingers…
“Here are baby’s fingers…
Here are baby’s toes…
Here is baby’s belly button…
And round and round it goes!”
I usually replace the word “baby” with my son’s name to make it more personal 🙂 But the rhyme is self explanatory, you gently massage (or tickle) each boy part in the rhyme while making eye contact with your baby. If you have a tickly baby the end of the song is a fun surprise for your little one!
To Market, To Market…
“To market ,to market to buy a fat pig,
Home again home again dancing a jig.
To market, to market to buy a fat hog,
Home again home again jigetty-jog.
To market, to market to buy a plum bun,
Home again home again market is done”
This is a bouncing rhyme. You can put baby on your knee, or if your little one is not quite stable sitting yet you can lay him/her on your extended legs (facing up) while you bounce and sing. Thought it’s simple, my son enjoys the bouncing rhythm when we do this together 🙂
Stinky, Stinky…
(sung to the tune of “Twinkle, twinkle little star)
“Stinky, stinky diaper change
Oh my baby smells so strange
He made pee-pee in his pants
I sure hope, it won’t attract ants!
Stinky, stinky diaper change
Oh my baby smells so strange”
hehehe…I found this one in a children’s rhyme book and started singing it to my son when I did diaper changes. It’s silly and keeps him slightly distracted while I take care of business with his bum 🙂
A Smooth Road…
This one is so much fun! I’m just going to link a video so you can hear the rhythm.
What are your favorite songs for infants? How do you incorporate music into their day? Your comments help me come up with new activities for my little ones, so please feel free to let me know your ideas by commenting below 🙂
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We wrote a blog on this topic too a while ago, when my daughter was a few months old. I've been meaning to do another one soon. There are some ideas in here too: http://www.culture-baby.net/2012/04/these-are-few-of-my-favourite-things.html?m=1#!
Whoops. Now with correct link: http://www.culture-baby.net/2012/07/these-are-few-of-my-favourite-things.html?m=1
Thank you so much for sharing your link- I read it, pinned it, and shared it on Google+ (do you have an account? I'd love to follow you!). You are a fantastic writer and I very much enjoyed your insight 🙂
Thank you very much and glad you like our blog. I haven't managed to get round to Google+ yet but I have a blogger profile, which can be followed, I'm on twitter @Culture_baby and have a new facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Culturebabybloguk
Love the smooth road activity! I used to do a similar thing with my kids (different characters riding a horse in different ways), and they loved it. I'll have to add this one to my repertoire!
Thanks for visiting the commenting Heidi! I love finding new songs to try out with my boys, a horse one would be fun! My boys really enjoy little action rhymes and I LOVE the sweet smile I get in return!