Parents Archives - Page 9 of 16 - Minds On Music

Parenting Playlist: Music To Help Children Focus

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ok. Put on your seat belts. I’m going to take us back in time to the 1990s. Remember everyone’s favorite purple dinosaur? Perhaps not everyone’s favorite, but I bet you remember his Clean Up song! I used that song constantly with my two sons as they were growing up. It was magic. MAGIC, I tell you! No fussing, no arguing (most of the time!). As soon as I starting singing, they started helping and toys were put away. Don’t be fooled friends – the real magic when Mary Poppins had the Banks children clean their room wasn’t a spoon full of sugar…it was a song about a spoon full of sugar.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/MOOxpT9q2mo?t=58s”][vc_column_text]A doctor singing to his infant patient to help distract him…after delivering some shots. The Clean Up Song![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]So I was thinking…why not have a playlist…a parenting playlist that helped a child mark the various parts of the day? We use lullabies for bed time…why not use music to focus other important daily events? Once upon a time, that would have been very difficult, as our music was less portable. But now? You could actually create a playlist on your phone and have it with you at all times! Connecting music with certain daily activities provides an aural signal that goes beyond words. You can easily create a playlist that would focus a child and involve them in an aspect of preparation for any activity. Think of the music as an overture. As mentioned in a previous post, you hear Take Me Out to the Ball Game at the ball park and you stand up to stretch. You tell me…when you here this – you start looking around for sharks, don’t you? I’d probably not use that in my playlist for the kiddos.

Here are some more appropriate suggestions from our collection of music used in Kindermusik classes worldwide – all available at the Play Kindermusik site.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Parenting Playlist

Now…having a playlist is great, but it’s made even greater if you sing along. If you sing (and trust me, you can sing) you child will imitate.

Time to wake up

What could be better than a classic like You are my Sunshine? Here it is from our Rise and Shine collection:

What about the Beatles Here Comes the Sun, or perhaps a piece of classic music, like Mozart’s Eine kleine Nacht Musik (A Little Night Music – which I always thought was a bit bright for nighttime).

It’s time to eat

Let’s get some food in that belly. I’ve been humming this one around the house, causing questioning smiles from my wife. What can I say – it’s catchy! Here’s Food is Good from our Yum album:

You can be creative with this one. There’s a great Bare Naked Ladies tune from their children’s album, Snacktime! Take a listen to Food Party. And can we take a minute to mention how awesome it is that BNL recorded a kids album?

Travel

Need to get in the car? Gotta make a stop at the pharmacy or pick up the older sibling? How about This Little Car from Zoom!

There are countless songs and pieces of music that can work here. Use your imagination. What about the William Tell Overture? You can make it a game – race (safely) to see who can get ready to go first!

Playtime

Time to move, friends. Maybe time to go outside and run, dance, and jump! Well…I think another classic ought to do it…Ring Around the Rosey from our Playtime collection.

Remember, just about anything will work. I actually would use the Gloria movement from Ariel Ramirez’s Missa Criolla to get my oldest ready for bed, despite the fact that it is uptempo. He loved being swung around the room to the latin rhythms and when the slow section came up, we’d head back to his bedroom. he was ready. Once you associate a song with an activity, your child will pick up the association very quickly.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Creativity is Key

I hope this has provided you with some ideas. Go crazy. Try different songs until you find the mix that works well for your child. Everyone responds differently. Maybe there is a song from your Kindermusik classes that rings true with your kiddo; maybe you haven’t tried out a class to find out! Regardless, I want to know how this works for you! Tell us about your playlists! Email me at dr.boyle@markaboyle.com. Share your parenting playlist with the Kindermusik family.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Calm Your Baby by Singing

If there was something that could keep your baby calm for twice as long as anything else, would you use it? New research from the University of Montreal has discovered the secret… singing to your baby!

At Kindermusik, we could be considered something of an expert on not just what to sing to your baby, but also how to sing to your baby. (And don’t panic. Our suggestions have nothing to do with voice lessons or singing in public.) Since we’re also all about making parenting a little easier and a whole lot more musical, here are some of our best tips for what and how to sing to your little one. You can thank us later for being able to enjoy twice the amount of calm!

What to sing to your baby

You Are My Sunshine*
Love Somebody*
Everybody Loves Baby*
Skinnamarink
May There Always Be Sunshine
Golden Slumbers
Tell Me Why

FREEBIE! Download the songs marked with an asterisk (*) for free here. Other songs are available for purchase here.

How to sing to your baby

Even if you’d never sing a solo in public, remember that your voice is the most beautiful sound in the world to your child.
Forgot the words? No problem. Humming works too!
While standing, gently sway to the steady beat as you sing. The combination of your singing and the side-to-side pendulum-like motion is very soothing.
Use both the power of music and intentional touch. After bath time, incorporate a little infant massage as you sing to your baby.
Sing in the car. No one will ever know that it’s the third time around singing “Skinnamarink” because it’s your favorite song too!
Cuddle your baby close and rock together. Your little one will love feeling the reassuring vibration of your vocal chords and the gentle thump of your heartbeat.

Looking for other ways to calm your baby? Come visit a Kindermusik class and learn from an early childhood expert.

Shared by Kindermusik educator and award-winning program owner Theresa Case, who has loved every opportunity she’s had over the past 20-plus years to encourage parents to sing and bond with their babies.

Why Rhythmic Repetition Is Key to First-Year Language Development

Parents use early repetition by pointing to image and repeating its name with baby.

What can rhythmic repetition do? Encourage that first word, first sentence, first conversation. Repeating yourself through song or chant during the first year makes repetition less of a task and more of a joy, and babies will latch onto those joyful moments.

What science says about repetition and rhythm…

Research gives insight into the kind of caregiver-baby verbal interaction that can best spur early language development, so that by the time babies become toddlers, they have a larger vocabulary, stronger comprehension skills, and sharper speech abilities.

What to Do When It’s a Rough Day in Kindermusik

Although it is not any more difficult to be a Kindermusik parent than it is to just be a parent, sometimes things happen in class that make it difficult to be a parent in Kindermusik class. So what to do when your child runs around, gets extra clingy, or acts out?

First, just find your breath for second. Nothing will get worse in the time it takes you to pause, and everything stands to get better for your having done it.

Next, realize that most parents are not judging you, and neither is your Kindermusik teacher. They are most likely feeling a great deal of empathy for you at the moment! And even if they were judging, this isn’t about them. It’s about the fact that your child is either hungry, tired, or just plain trying to exercise some control over his or her world.

So here’s what to do. Try engaging with your child at a level that is best at the moment. You can also feel free to disengage for a minute by sitting away from the group or even stepping out in the lobby for a bit if necessary. Perhaps your little one is just a bit too over-stimulated and needs some calm and quiet. A snack and a drink out in the lobby may be all it takes to resurrect that happy little person you normally live with and enjoy in class.

If your child isn’t quite ready to relinquish an instrument or object, that’s okay. Give it a minute. Some kids need more time than others to transition. Once we’ve moved on to a different activity, most kids aren’t so interested in that particular instrument anymore and will be happy to put it where it goes.

It may be that your little one didn’t get enough sleep or is starting to get sick and just doesn’t feel well. If you need to leave, send us an e-mail and we can reschedule! We happily offer unlimited make-up classes. [Note: Contact your local educator for options for rescheduling or makeup classes.]

And, finally, check out Becky Bailey’s work for additional discipline resources—there are lots of free ideas on her website.

Remember that it can take several time for your child to adjust to Kindermusik, whether it’s his first classes ever or she’s just getting used to being with back in the routine or with some new friends. Kids are kids. We wouldn’t have been in the business of Kindermusik for so many years now if we didn’t accept and love them just the same!

Connect with other parents who can relate to your parenting stage. Visit a local Kindermusik class today!

Shared by Theresa Case who has an award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in the beautiful upstate of South Carolina. This post first appeared on the Piano Central Studios blog.

How Music + Emotion Bridging Helps Toddlers Navigate BIG Feelings Early On

Toddler has tantrum at playground. How music plus emotional bridging can help pacify this situation.

Toddlers can be gloriously happy one minute and extremely upset the next. Their little brains are undergoing so much growth in those early years, and they don’t yet have the vocabulary, context, or life experience to identify and process all of those emotions.

Helping toddlers understand and articulate their feelings can ease the chaos, but how?

Researchers at Michigan State University found that a simple strategy, called “emotion bridging,” can do just that, with the end result of fewer behavioral problems.

Emotion bridging is a straightforward, three-step process:

Labeling the emotion: sad, happy, upset, mad, etc.
Putting it into context: feeling this because of that
Making a relevant connection: “Remember when you felt [emotion] because of [situation/experience]?”

One way to help the learning stick? The connective, transformative power of shared musical experiences.

Continue reading “How Music + Emotion Bridging Helps Toddlers Navigate BIG Feelings Early On”

The Importance of Intentional Play & Loving Connections in the Early Years

It’s hard not to goo and coo and tickle and cuddle and play peek-a-boo with a cute little baby. But science is now discovering just exactly how important those goos, coos, tickles, cuddles, and peek-a-boos are, demonstrating that while Nature has a hand in how the brain is pre-wired, the brain depends very heavily on environmental input, or nurture – those tickles, cuddles, and peek-a-boos we keep talking about – in order to wire itself further. (Read more here.) How intricately the brain gets wired has long-term impact on all seven areas of intelligence, how well a child does in school, and how they function socially and emotionally.

So how can a parent be intentional about the play and loving connections that are so crucial in the early years? Here are some simple suggestions:

Make time for play. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of daily life. So maybe your playtime with your child is just before leaving for work or just after supper before bath time. Whatever time is best for you, make it a non-negotiable part of your day.
Get down on the floor with your child. You can’t help but be a lot more engaged when you’re at their level. The play and interaction will come more and more naturally as you spend more and more time in play with your child.
Be silly! No one else is watching, so go ahead, and just take delight in what delights your child. YouTube is full of silly parent-child videos that have gone viral. You know the ones where the parent does something silly and unexpected only to be rewarded with the best belly laugh ever.
Talk to your child. Tell her about your day. Describe what you’re doing, even if it’s a mundane activity. Or just try some nonsense baby talk. Even if they can’t talk back, they’ll still be enthralled with hearing your voice. And if you take a few conversational pauses, you might even get some goos and coos in response.
Dance with your child. Your music or theirs. It doesn’t really matter. What does matter is the eye contact, the full attention, the love, and the joy of moving together.
Cuddle and sing lullabies. There’s nothing that invites more loving connections than cuddling and singing to your child. And don’t worry… to your child, your voice is the most beautiful sound in the whole wide world.

Need some inspiration for playing, singing, and interacting with your child? Try a Kindermusik class. We have tons of ideas and resources to share!

When It Comes to Baby Talk, Moms Matter

Sometimes it seems that a mother knows what a child is thinking and feeling even before that little one can verbally communicate. That’s because even brand-new moms are somehow inexplicably endowed with this special ability to be tuned in to their little one’s thoughts and feelings. Some may call it maternal instinct. It might be better called the “mom thermometer.” Dr. Elizabeth Kirk, from the University of York, called it “maternal mind-mindedness” or “tuning in.”

What kind of “reading” a mom gets on her “mom thermometer” then often translates into not only she cares for her baby, but more importantly to Dr. Elizabeth Kirk and her research team, this instinctive tuning in is the basis for how a mom interacts and talks to her little one. Dr. Kirk’s study found that a “…a mother’s ability to tune-in to her baby’s thoughts and feelings early on helps her child to learn to empathise with the mental lives of other people. This has important consequences for the child’s social development, equipping children to understand what other people might be thinking or feeling.” Pretty amazing!

Well since we here at Kindermusik are all about using music, movement, and the weekly Kindermusik class to help make great parenting a little easier, we have some “talking points” for all parents as you are interacting with, tuning into, and bonding with your babies and young toddlers by identifying and labeling their emotions.

Emotional Talking Points

When Mommy sings your favorite lullaby, you feel all better.

You love cuddling with Daddy, don’t you?!

I can tell when you smile that you are happy.

Are you feeling frustrated because you can’t fit that into the box?

Does it make you feel upset when your beans fall off your spoon before you get them in your mouth?

Emotional Activity Ideas

Listen and/or dance to “emotional” music. (You can define what “emotional” means at any given moment.) Talk to your child about how the music makes them feel.
Use simple songs or rhymes at routine points throughout the day – waking up, getting dressed, going down for nap, bath time, or bed time. The songs or rhymes can not only help the transitions go more smoothly, but you can talk to your baby about their reaction. Upset? Happy? Sad? Frustrated? Contented?
Deliberate eye contact will help you tune-in more to your baby and his/her emotions. Look into their eyes as you talk to them and love on them.
Take time for some gentle baby massage. This is a great time to “converse” with baby and make that all-important eye contact.
Sing or hum a lullaby as you rock your child. You might use rocking as a nap time or bed time ritual. But rocking is also a great time to really focus on your child, saying “I love you,” and getting a good “read” with your “mom (or dad) thermometer.”

We get that some of these examples might sound just slightly cheesy when written out, but don’t worry – they won’t come across as cheesy when it’s just you and your little sweetie one-on-one. And later on, when your child is growing to be happy, self-confident, thoughtful, and sensitive towards others, you can give yourself a big pat on the back. It was your intuitive connection, tuning in, verbalization, and yes at times, one-sided conversations, that made all the difference.

Want more insight into your child’s social-emotional development? Follow us on Pinterest!

Shared by Theresa Case who has loved every minute of helping parents connect with their children through music at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, for over 20 years now.

School Readiness Begins at Birth

9-month-old baby engages in scarf play with mom during a Kindermusik class designed to support early school readiness.

School readiness for babies? Sounds a little extreme, but did you know an infant’s brain doubles in size during the first year? This window of learning opens wide in those first 12 months, and the easiest way to boost school readiness is to amplify bonding moments, joyful age-appropriate play, and rich multisensory activities that support those critical brain leaps.

Shared musical play is the perfect tool.

Continue reading “School Readiness Begins at Birth”

Why Your Child Needs Routines and Rituals

Routine. Ritual. Often the words are used interchangeably, but they have slightly different nuances. Routines are every day. More commonplace. Things we do at the same time in the same way. Rituals are special and meaningful, memory builders, if you will. They have purpose and are carried out with intentionality. Your child needs and thrives on both. Here’s why.

Routines give your child predictability, and with predictability comes a great sense of security for your child. Routines are the defining structure of a day or a week and provide a certain organization that prevents chaos. They are comforting and reassuring, helping your child know what to expect.

Rituals define us. They help us bond and connect. Rituals are enjoyable and repeated shared experiences – a certain way you celebrate life’s happy occasions or that special way you put your child to bed each night. They contribute indelibly and inextricably to a happy childhood, making for a lifetime of the best of memories.

Here’s a good example of the difference between routines and rituals. Attending a weekly Kindermusik class becomes a favorite routine, something you and your child both look forward to. You have a familiar and predictable structure to each week’s class (with a little new coming in with new themes, songs, and activities), and the same wonderful Kindermusik educator year after year.

What you learn in class and the Home Materials you receive then become the inspiration for memorable, heart-warming, bonding rituals at home. Like the toe-tickle you do each morning to chase away the morning grumpies. The way you cuddle up and read your Kindermusik story before naptime. The happy dance you do around the kitchen together when daddy walks in the door. Or the sweet lullaby that calms and quiets your child before bedtime… the very same one he’ll sing to his own little one someday.

Routines. Rituals. They are beautiful things, especially when they are set to music.

Make Kindermusik a part of your weekly – and daily! – routine. Find a class near you today.

Shared by Theresa Case whose award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, has been helping families enjoy delightful routines and special rituals for over 20 years now.

5 Easy Ways to Boost Early Reading Skills

Dad boosts early reading skills by reading a board book to his baby.

My nine-year-old daughter CAN NOT put down Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Her eyes gulp down the words while her imagination dives into the depths of the wizard world. It’s the 11^th time she’s made the same journey, not counting the first time we read the book out loud together. So when did her reading skills take flight?

She wasn’t a born reader—no one is—but a love of reading can develop early (and the earlier the better). My daughter’s love of reading began practically at birth, certainly long before she heard the name Harry Potter, and it 100% had to do with integrating these easy reading development tips…

Continue reading “5 Easy Ways to Boost Early Reading Skills”