A ton of studies confirm that music helps your child's communication and overall development. But you may think...I'm not a musician. How can I make music with my child?
Have you ever thought about singing your child’s favorite book to him or her?
Music is an excellent tool to assist in developing language skills, but there's even more to it!
The aspects of music such as melody, rhythm, tempo, pitch, dynamics and lyrics all support verbal communication skills. [1]
WHY SING?
“Using age-appropriate songs with some repetition of melodies and lyrics help our clients remember important material by emphasizing the important words in each song”. [1]
Music is a natural organizer, so singing can allow your kiddo to naturally plan motor functions such as breath support, tongue and lip positions to produce sounds. [2]
Singable books help you and your child connect and they're SO easy to use!
These are my favorite singable books that I use in my music therapy sessions:
1. Brown bear This is a great book to address colors and animals! This book is to the tune of “Twinkle Little Star”. This book is a huge hit in my sessions!
2. Wheels on the Bus As mentioned in my previous post, this is an excellent singable book! There are so many versions of this song. You can also add motions that correlate with the lyrics to further enhance learning.
3. She Sells Sea Shells by the Seashore I absolutely love this song! This is my go-to song to decrease distress. The song is in Dorian Mode, which naturally promotes a relaxed environment. It’s also a tongue twister, which is not only fun, but works those oral motor skills!
4. 5 Little Ducks This book is perfect when your kiddo is learning about numbers and counting. For each verse use the book to count the ducks, reinforcing sequencing, one-to-one correspondence, and number recognition.
5. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom This book is an upbeat song to teach the alphabet. It is an alternative to the traditional ABC song.
Singable books are an easy and engaging (not to mention fun) way to make music with your child!
Research shows that making music with your child can help set them up for success in the future.
If you're not a musician, the trick is getting comfortable with making music yourself. Singable books solve this problem!
Let us know below in the comments if your child has a favorite book to sing!
Happy music-making!!!
Cassie Smith, MT-BC
Cassie is one of our music therapists at Anderson Music Therapy. Kids LOVE her! Learn more about Cassie HERE.
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References: [1] Davis, W., Gfeller, K., Thaut, M. An Introduction to Music Therapy: Theory and Practice 3rd Edition. The American Music Therapy Association, Inc, 2008, pp. 104. [2] Lathom-Radocy, W. Pediatric Music Therapy. Charles C Thomas Publisher LTD, 2002, pp. 114-116.