In suggesting resources and activities for music with under-threes, we've kept these simple - scarves and fabrics, small shaking instruments, sound baskets and so on. And the simplest, cheapest and best of all are your own voice and body movement, and the little songs and rhymes that you make up yourself, on the spot, to fit an activity or adapt from songs you know.
Music-making between adults and babies/children helps to develop relationships, musical conversations and communication. With under-threes, these activities are about the intrinsic value of shared experiences rather than teaching musical skills as such. But at the same time, the babies and small children are experiencing music and, of course, absorbing things all the time.
RESOURCE: Scarves
ACTIVITY: Each child has a scarf and copies the action of placing it over their head. The children's names are sung in turn, making up a simple three-note chant with the following words: 'Where is X? Wish I knew. Pull down the scarf, peekaboo!'
RESOURCE: Sari or long piece of light fabric
ACTIVITY: Everyone hides their faces under the sari, counting 'One, two, three', and peeps out when one shouts 'Boo'. Then, instead of 'Boo', say the child's name. Repeat so that the pattern becomes familiar. Then, after the 'One, two, three', try making up sounds of familiar animals, such as cats, dogs, ducks. With a group of parents/carers and children, it is helpful to have some puppets or soft toy animals to explore and talk about making animal sounds first.
Saris can be scrunched into a long band, which, when held by adults in a big circle, can be swayed to and fro. All say 'One, two, three' and then on 'Weeee' lift arms up high and let the scrunched sari open, and then all can peer through it at each other.
RESOURCE: Lycra (large enough for a whole group to sit around, approximately 2m2)
ACTIVITY: Everyone holds the lycra, raising and lowering it to follow the pattern of a simple song, 'Up high (sung high), down low (sung low), now we're in the middle and we're going up/down'.
Put a beanbag or little teddy on the lycra. Everyone enjoys co-operating to stretch and pull the material and has fun trying to keep the toy on the material. Many rhymes or songs could fit this activity - try making them up to tunes you know with simple words of 'Bounce the teddy, bounce, bounce, bounce ...'
RESOURCE: Wave drum and rain stick
ACTIVITY: Sing a gentle song while the adult helps baby to tip the sound-maker to and fro, 'Seashells, seashells, sing a song for me, sing about the ocean, tell me about the sea.'
RESOURCE: Egg-shaped shakers/maracas in a large basket
ACTIVITY: Each child chooses a colourful shaker and explores it ('hold it, feel it, roll it, shake it'). Feel the egg on your skin. What is it like? Find words to describe how it feels. Hide the eggs under your jumper, up a sleeve - 'Oh dear, where has the egg gone? Let's say a magic word and the eggs reappear!'
Shiny egg in my hand, you feel smooth, you feel round
Shiny egg in my hand: you can make a sound (shake and listen)
I wonder where you are going to hide?
Hide away quickly ...
(under my Tshirt, in my pocket, etc)
Sims ala bim, sala bim, sala bim ...
Sala BIM!
(Copyright: Margareta Burrell)
RESOURCE: Egg shakers and puppet
ACTIVITY: Each child holds the egg shaker and shakes it for the duration of the song. A puppet, with a large mouth, can be used to indicate 'stop'.
At first the children learn the length of the song, and then the song becomes longer or shorter and they enjoy anticipating the stop and probably say 'P' or 'Stop'.
Eventually, a single child can take the role as leader and operate the puppet. 'Shake and shake and shake together, shake and shake and shake and stop!'
RESOURCE: Four baskets of interesting sound-makers. One could be an heuristic treasure basket-type with household items; four pieces of different coloured fabric (lining material is cheap and brightly coloured) set out around the room.
ACTIVITY: Small groups of children and adults sit round a square of fabric with a basket of instruments and investigate together the sounds they can make. A background of quiet music can provide a 'framework' for the exploration.
About three to five minutes later have a 'Pack up your basket' song and move around to the next piece of material. Can be useful for the 'wandering' types and reluctant parents often relax through this activity.
Make it clear at the start that it is about listening to the sounds and doing the activity together with your child.
RESOURCE: Wooden clave
ACTIVITY: Each child has one clave to tap on the sole of their own foot while singing a song with a strong pulse, 'Cobbler cobbler, mend my shoe' or any song about horses. The children enjoy the feel of the clave on their foot while strengthening their sense of pulse.
RESOURCE: Tickling rhymes
ACTIVITY: The adult takes the palm of the baby (or the foot or tummy if changing nappies) and goes around slowly for the snail, and quickly for the mouse, finishing with fingers that run up baby's arms/legs and gives a big tickle all over.
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, goes the garden snail
Slowly, slowly, very slowly, up the garden rail
Faster, faster, so much faster runs the little mouse
Faster, faster, so much faster round his little house!
RESOURCE: Knee-bouncing rhymes and songs
ACTIVITY: There are lots of songs that babies enjoy once they are sitting independently. Even younger ones will like to be bounced while being gently supported.
Knee-bouncing rhymes like 'Father and Mother and Uncle Tom' and 'This is the Way the Baby Rides' play with different speeds and ways of moving.
Father and mother and Uncle Tom
Got up on the pony and rode along.
Father fell off (rock baby to the left)
Mother fell off (rock baby to the right)
But Uncle Tom rode on and on and on (bounce baby faster)
RESOURCE: Song 'Jumping Shoes'
ACTIVITY: Sing or chant this song, whether you are with a large group or just one or two children. It encourages children to think about what their actions can be and how they want to move, as well as developing their understanding of beat and pace. Sit in a circle and let two or three at a time move in the middle.
We all wear our jumping shoes
Jumping shoes, jumping shoes
We all wear our jumping shoes
All day long
Change the words to suit how the children choose to move, for example, creeping, sliding, stamping, walking, pointing. When singing with one child at a time, use the child's name instead of 'We all'.
Note: When singing or chanting for the children to move, it helps to watch them first and then to match the speed of the song/rhyme with their steps or jumps.
Music network MERYC
The European Network of Early Childhood Music Education Research (MERYC), founded by Susan Young, lecturer in early childhood and music education at the University of Exeter, aims to bring together both research and practice in music education and to promote and safeguard good practice in early years music education.
The UK branch, MERYC UK, is made up of experienced early years music educators, some of whom have contributed activities for this article. They are: Linda Bance, Margareta Burrell, Nancy Evans, Lucinda Geoghegan, Alison Harmer, Emma Hutchinson, Trish Keelan, Karen Mackenzie, Jessica Pitt, Alison Street and Susan Young.
For more information, visit www.meryc.eu.
WHERE TO BUY
- Claves - value pack of six pairs (£11.45) from Music Education Supplies (MES) at www.mesdirect.com; superior quality rosewood claves at www.ed.starland.co.uk (£4.34 each)
- Egg shakers - pack of ten from MES (£8.95)
- Lycra - variety of colours and textures (from £7.50) at www.online-fabrics.co.uk
- Scarves - 12 brightly coloured (polyester) for £15.95 from MES; ten mixed colours for £8.50 from www.firetoys.co.uk/juggling. Also available at www.musichouse forchildren.co.uk/resources
- Toddler wave drum (£9.19) from www.amusica.co.uk; mini wave drums from MES (£4.45) or LMS Music Supplies - www.LMSmusic supplies.co.uk (£4.75, beater supplied but not recommended). A more authentic drum is available from MES (£10.75)
- Bamboo rain stick (pounds .3.95 or £5.25) from LMS
- Treasure Baskets from www.musichouseforchildren.co.uk/resources
- 'Father and Mother ...' and 'This is the Way ... ' are in Playsongs: Action Songs and Rhymes for Babies and Toddlers, compiled by Sheena Roberts - Playsongs Publications at www.playsongs.co.uk
- - 'Jumping Shoes' is in Singing Together, Peep Publications at www.peep.org.uk
