This article appeared in "First Teacher" magazine.
All children have various learning styles. Some learn better through their ears (listening), some through their eyes (seeing how things work), some through their bodies (moving or doing), and some through talking about what they are doing. Active musical games integrate all of these learning styles, making learning accessible to every child in the group.
Simple Beginnings
Through acting out simple finger games such as "Eency-weency Spider," children learn concepts like up and down. They develop language playing "Ring-Around-the-Rosie" and also build coordination and stronger muscles while they repeatedly fall down and get up to start over.
Balance and Coordination
Young children build balance and coordination when they engage in a favorite activity - being joggled on an adult's foot or knee. With your children, make up a simple tune to the rhyme below, then sing it as you play the game.
Cross your knees and settle a toddler or older preschooler on your top foot. Hold hands very tightly to help the child balance, and bounce your foot appropriately as you recite this adapted, traditional nursery rhyme:
Basic Concepts
You can create learning center activities that incorporate music and movement. String a length of bulky yarn between two chairs. On ten, wooden, spring-type clothespins write the numbers one through ten. Cut out ten shirt shapes and number them one through ten. Help children learn the song below. Then a child sings the song as he works the activity, hanging up shirt number one on clothespin number one, shirt number two on clothespin number two, and so on. Children can work in pairs and take turns hanging up the shirts. They'll be matching numerals, using small muscles, strengthening hand-eye coordination and practicing social skills while they play.
Put the emphasis on shapes by having children use unit blocks to outline large, empty shapes on the floor. Have these spread out in the room. Now sing the song below and have children follow the directions. Let children take turns making up and singing new directions.
Other possible verses:
Listening Skills
Almost every teacher has sometimes said, "If only they would listen!" This musical game emphasizes listening skills and helps children refine balancing skills as well.
Play some music and have children move around the room as long as they hear the music playing. When the music stops, they stop and "freeze" in place.
Now have each child select a small block or piece of DUPLO to balance on their head as they move around the room and freeze. Each time the music stops, a child suggests a new place to balance the block -- shoulder, elbow, knee, back, ear.
For more challenge, each day that you play this game, use different music. Moving to a classical lullaby is much easier than moving to Stravinski's "Rite of Spring." Balancing while moving to a honky-tonk country tune or to a raucous rock and roll song requires different skills than those needed for a gentle ballad. Encourage children to request musical selections, too.
Music Builds Thinking Skills
Recent brain research indicates that children who listen to music have stronger thinking skills. There is evidence that listening to Mozart increases people's math ability and their understanding of spatial concepts.
Why not have children explore space while moving to music? Play any kind of music (but don't avoid the classics), and have children move in ways the music suggests. Encourage them to come up with their own movements and not to copy others. Offer specific feedback to those who are moving differently from others. "Monica is moving her arms back and forth." "Olav is swinging his leg from side to side." Over time, children will become more creative in their movements. Their problem solving skills will increase as they learn to move without getting in the way of others.
So, sing a song. Recite a rhyme. Turn on some music. And celebrate the fact that children are naturally active and that they can be learning every time they move.
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