Lap Babies: must EXPERIENCE beat in a variety of ways.
· Stand and sway from side to side (added vestibular bonus).
· Sit in a chair or on the floor and rock forward & back or side to side.
· Bounce or trot on knees, ankles, arms, shoulders, or back.
· Tap fingers on different parts of their body (foot, tummy, arm, leg, etc.)
· While holding child, walk with a steady bouncy step, or even gallop !
· Place child on a surface that will vibrate, then pat your hands on the surface.
· Play music with a definite steady beat through the stereo and hold child while placed on top of the stereo speaker (if speaker is an appropriate size).
· At night, use a flashlight to show the beat on the wall (a visual bouncing ball).
Crawlers: continue to EXPERIENCE beat, and PRACTICE movement, not neccesarily beat
· Encourage using their hands to clap or pat using the whole hand.
· Use the slower steady beat while swinging in a swing. Try to keep the swing at a consistent pace. Try “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” or “Humpty Dumpty”
· See your household items in a totally new way – natural and handy instruments to tap on the floor, clap together, shake, or squeeze out a beat of sounds. They are going to get anything they can reach anyway; make it a learning experience. If innappropriate for them to play with, use this activity to slowly transfer the object from their hands to yours and continue while putting it away.
· Have a specific box at floor level for basic percussion instruments – purchased and homemade. (Please make sure they are all safe to explore alone.) Rhythm sticks, shakers, bells, rattles, drums. When you see your child really interested in a particular object, pick up a similar object and begin a beat. After establishing a beat, start chanting a rhyme or singing a song.
Use both hands together to pound beat on ground, pillows, bed, garbage can lids, chairs, couches, bean bags, cardboard boxes, etc.
Filed under: Activity ideas, Music Concepts, Participation options, Teaching techniques, Village - babies
