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A Little Rhythm Goes a Long Way

An Excerpt From 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children

By Abigail Flesch Connors

From the moment they can grasp and hold an object, babies love to bang, shake and throw things on the floor. Research shows they do this to learn about their bodies' capabilities, to explore their environment and to test the properties of physical objects. But most of all, they do this to experience the joy of creating sounds. What a wonderful feeling it is when they discover that they can make noise in so many ways! It's a feeling of wonder, delight and power.

"As [caregivers], our goal must be to respect and satisfy children's need to make noise, while gently guiding them toward expressing themselves musically," says Abigail Flesch Connors, an early childhood music specialist. "Rhythm instruments provide a uniquely effective medium to bridge this gap."

As most early childhood educators know, music is very important for young children. Music has been documented in playing a role in the development of many kinds of intelligences, and also offers children the opportunity to practice socializing, creativity and self-expression. Connors' new book, 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children (Gryphon House, 2004), invites every child to participate in this musical learning process.

• With rhythm instruments, children can create their own music. No CD necessary!
• Rhythm instruments don't require singing. Although Connors encourages singing with her students, she admits that not all children will participate in singing activities. "Some are just naturally shy or self-conscious," she says. "There are many reasons why a child may not feel comfortable singing in a group."
• Rhythm instrument activities are simple for children to learn and use. "Most of them involve simply copying one motion at a time," says Connors.
• With rhythm instruments there is no right or wrong way. "[This] leaves plenty of room for individuality," Connors explains.
• Rhythm instruments involve the body in keeping a beat and feeling rhythm. This helps young children build spatial awareness, explore movement, expand their movement repertoire and vocabulary and build their understanding of concepts such as up and down, over and under, high and low, soft and loud, short and long, in and out and stop and go.

Want to see more?

• So Simple: Old-fashioned Fun With Kids
• The Rhythm of Play: Interacting With Babies and Toddlers Through Music
• Introducing Music to Your Baby
• Talk about it!