The Rhythm of Play

Interacting With Babies and Toddlers Through Music

By Lisa Flaxman

can be a musical experience if you read it rhythmically with humor and animation!

Here are some ideas to get you started playing with your baby and toddler through music:

• Chant nursery rhymes – Nursery rhymes have been around for many generations for good reason: They are imaginative, rhythmic and easy to remember. While you recite your favorites from childhood, bounce or rock your child. Or clap her hands and tap her feet. Hearing the rhymes helps infants develop auditory memory, and the movements convey the feeling of "steady beat." You don't need to be original – classic nursery rhymes were composed many years ago, and the more your child hears them, the more they are likely to love and remember them. Repetition is comforting to children.
• Do finger plays – Remember "This Little Piggy" and "The Eensy Weensy Spider?" Finger plays connect physical sensation with hearing and helps a baby orient her body ("There are my toes!"). These activities offer another opportunity for close physical contact to give the baby a secure feeling.
• Sing! – Drag some old favorites out like "This Old Man" or " Baa, Baa, Black Sheep." Sing it softly, then loudly, fas, then slow. See which way holds the baby's attention longer. If you want to expand your repertoire, go to the library and get some recordings or take a music class with your baby. For a list of recordings that include popular, folk, ethnic and classical music that are kid- and adult-friendly, visit www.musiKids.com.
• Dance together
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  Want to see more?

  • Take Your Toddler on a Talking Adventure
  • Introducing Music to Your Baby
  • Kindermusik: Something to Sing About
  • Sing and Play With Your Baby
  • Talk about it!