Sing Out Loud, Sing Out Proud

You don't need a cd player, an IPod or a lead-free plastic rattle to make music for your child. All you need is your voice. It doesn't even matter if you think you have a terrible singing voice; your child will love it. Think about it. Your son or daughter could hear your voice, distorted as it may have sounded from inside your body, before he or she could even see your face. In fact, an infant's vision remains limited for several months after birth. Your child relies on her other senses, smell, taste, touch and hearing, to help identify that fuzzy face in front of her and the rest of the world around her.

Still not convinced you should subject your child to a tone-deaf serenade? Just listen to good ol' Bob from Sesame Street.



Sing, sing a song,
Sing out loud, sing out strong,
Sing of the good things, not bad,
Sing of the happy, not sad . . .

Sing, sing a song,
Make it simple, to last your whole life long,
Don't worry that it's not good enough,
For anyone else to hear,
Sing, sing a song . . .

The More We Sing Together

What: Warm Up Song

Why: This is a variation on a popular children's song, "The More We Get Together."  I used it as a welcome song for my music-themed Early Childhood classes.  A welcome song signals to the children and their parents that they are entering a safe and productive environment in which all participate together in the learning process.

This version incorporates elements of American Sign Language (ASL).  ASL is a language spoken by individuals of the deaf community, but it has also been widely used by the theatre community as an alternative method of communication in dramas, musicals and dance theatre.  

I use ASL with infants to engage and stimulate their senses, encourage visual tracking and present a bilingual musical experience.

I use ASL with toddlers to promote physical expression of feelings, ideas and concepts.  You may find this technique particularly useful if you are already teaching your child what is commonly known as Baby Sign, a rudimentary form of ASL that enables pre-verbal communication.  

How:



Who: Rachel Dempsey contributed and performed this song.

Music is for Everyone

Music stimulates both sides of our brains simultaneously. Innovative educators rely on the math/music connection in teaching both.  It fosters connections across languages, cultures and through time.  The benefits of early exposure to music are innumerable.

One of the things I love most about music is that it is accessible to anyone. Unlike sports, there are no winners or losers in music, only people engaged in the process of making something, creating something out of nothing. With so many different styles and techniques to try, you are bound to find one that moves you.

In my classes, I tried to recapture some of that "Kumbaya" vibe from the 1960's and 70's folk tradition. Music creates a safe space and a vehicle for self-expression, something young children, especially those with disabilities, desperately need.



Well, if you want to sing out, sing out
And if you want to be free, be free
'cause there's a million things to be
You know that there are . . .

And if you want to be me, be me
And if you want to be you, be you
'cause there's a million things to do
You know that there are . . .