Music activities and instrument play for young children to develop steady beat, listening skills, fine motor skills, language abilities, and a love for music.
Music is not only fun for young children, but good for their development, too. Here are some musical activities you can do at home with your toddler or preschooler.
Songs with Motions
- Sing songs that are fingerplays, such as Thumbkin or Five Little Ducks, which help develop fine motor control.
- After once or twice through with fingers, gather several children or family members and act them out in the living room or back yard.
- Tap different parts of the body (shoulders, head, knees, toes, etc.) as you chant jump rope or hand-slap rhymes. When ready, change the body part at particular places in the rhyme. As your child gets older and more coordinated, try a steady hand-slap. Hold your hands still at first as your child makes the slap, then progress to both of you slapping.
Active Listening
- Play or sing songs with contrasts. Stand up when the music is high and squat down when it is low. March/walk/hop around the room, starting and stopping with the music.
- Sing a song and insert your child’s name. As she listens, have her jump up when she hears her name.
- Sing songs with motions, such as Do As I’m Doing and have your child listen for directions. Sing story songs with things happening, such as The Bear Went Over the Mountain, and have your child put motions to the words.
Play Ensemble Music
- With two to four people (or two to four pairs or groups), take a different instrument each. Shakers, sticks, bells, triangles and sandblocks work very well.
- As an ensemble, you can play together, take turns, or play in patterns. The simple way is to take turns on each phrase or verse.
- When your child is ready for more complex turn-taking, assign a player and instrument to a particular word or phrase in the song. In Old MacDonald, a different person could play for each animal, with another person playing every time E-I-E-I-O is sung.
Vocal Play with Music
- You sing one phrase, either made up or from a song, and your child repeats it.
- Change one thing – a word, a bit of the tune, or the key (sing higher or lower), and have your child repeat.
- Sing a conversation back and forth between each other.
- Use toy telephones or old cordless phones and sing a conversation to each other.
Develop Breath Control
- Humming is very good for breath control, and helps in speaking and reading aloud as well as singing. Sing one verse, then hum the verse, then sing it again.
- Blow feathers or balloons! Put music on and see how high you and your child can blow it, or how long you can keep it in the air.
Read Music Instruments for Preschoolers and More Instruments for Preschoolers for instrument ideas.
The copyright of the article Children’s Music Activities in Early Childhood is owned by Jennifer Jensen. Permission to republish Children’s Music Activities in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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