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Home › Articles › Development › The Rhythm of Play

The Rhythm of Play

Interacting With Babies and Toddlers Through Music

By Lisa Flaxman

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– Put on your favorite music and dance with the baby, gently bouncing or swaying. Babies love music with a heavy beat, so use your old rock-and-roll recordings! You can even let the baby hold a little egg shaker so he can hear it make noise as you dance around or as you help him shake it to the beat. Vary the experience by listening to classical, folk or ethnic music. These activities will teach the baby to focus on sound and rhythm.

  • Sing a book – Combine reading with singing and seeing by finding illustrated picture books like This Land Is Your Land (Megan Tingley, 1998) or Abiyoyo (Simon & Schuster, 2001). Or, if you don't feel like singing, use your child's favorite book or poem to read in a rhythmic way. For a list of illustrated books to sing to your child, visit www.musiKids.com.
  • Go to a concert – Get out of the house, take a picnic dinner and hear a free local concert! There are concerts at many zoos, parks, libraries, even shopping malls. Look in your local newspaper or magazine geared to parents or in the entertainment section of your local newspaper.

    Using "music as play" is an easy and cost-free way to assist your baby's development. It's fun and educational for both you and your child, and, in addition to other benefits, it may start your baby off on the path to a lifelong love of music.

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