Open Shut Them

What: Warm Up Song, Transition Song

Why: The simple lyrics correspond to the actions on a literal, rather than creative, level. This is a good song for very young children or children with severe developmental delays because they tend to be concrete thinkers.

The opening and shutting fists and crawling fingers help strengthen fine motor skills. The lyrics and actions promote body awareness and identification (lap, chin, mouth.)

You may use this song with a child you cannot execute the actions on his or her own by opening and shutting your own fists, encouraging the child to visually track your movements, and tickling your fingers up the child's stomach to the chin, stimulating the child's sense of touch while building a sense of anticipation.

Using this song before starting a new, passive activity, like eating or listening to a story, may help the child focus and maintain motor control.

How:



Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little clap, clap, clap

Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Lay them in your lap

Creep them, creep them
Creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin

Creep them, creep them
To your mouth
But do not let them in!

Who: Kierstie Whitehead contributed and performed this song. Kierstie earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Bucknell University and a Master of Arts in Arts Admin from Goucher. She taught middle school music in Howard County, MD for seven years and has worked as a music and theatre specialist in the DC area since 2005. Kierstie has worked in partnership with Montgomery County Infants and Toddlers, as well as working for Imagination Stage, Interact Story Theatre, Wolf Trap and the Fillmore Arts Center.

She is currently a full time music, theatre and early childhood teacher with Imagination Stage.

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.