Category: Sing to

Instead of talking as usual, try singing in a different voice. For example, it’s very funny to sing about getting dressed. Sing, “I’m sliding on my shirt, jumping in my pants,” in a low voice. You and your child can use familiar tunes and make up your own words.

When your child makes a sound, turn it into a rhyme. If they say “Eee,” say, “Eee rhymes with WE and we are together.” How many funny poems can you make with the sounds they are making? It is fun for them and helps them listen to sounds.

Does your child babble or make lots of sounds? This is a first step in learning to speak. Set these sounds to music. If they’re saying, “Ba, ba, ba,” sing this sound to a favorite tune. Watch their eyes light up. Guess what? Your baby’s brain lit up too!”

Play, sing, or hum a slow song and hold your child while you dance together. How do they respond to the feeling of dancing? What about the sound of the music? Respond to what they do. Laugh if they laugh! Enjoy this special moment.

As you’re putting your child to bed, rock them gently and sing softly to them. Pay attention to how they tell you they want more singing. Do they turn their head toward you? Smile? Move? What do they do to say “enough?” Cry? Turn away? Take note of how to respond to their cues now… Continue reading Sing to sleep

As you feed your child, sing softly and watch how they respond. If they like it, smile and sing even more. If they make some sounds when responding to you, add their sounds to your song so you can make “Mealtime Melodies” together.

When you’re doing laundry, sing every step: putting in detergent, closing the door, folding the clothes, etc. Watch your child and copy the sounds they make so you can create a song together. This is fun and puts a new spin on this chore.

When you’re changing your child’s diaper, sing about what you’re doing. Watch them and copy the sounds they make so you can create a song together. Your song plus their sounds can become your own “Diaper Song” for changing time!

There are things we do every day. Sing the same songs at those moments to explain what you’re doing with your child. Examples could be leaving a room, finishing eating, or washing hands. What else do you do daily that you could sing about?

While waiting, create singing conversations. Instead of talking back-and-forth, quietly sing what you want to say to each other. How does your child respond? Then try whispering. Keep going back and forth and make it a game.