Without even meaning to I have already started to use this teaching method with my 2 year old. We sing little songs daily during mundane tasks to help make the routine a little more fun as well as learning a something along the way.
For example when it comes to getting dressed we sometimes incorporate the hokey pokey or for the pants we do the rhyme from Dr. Seuss Foot Book “left foot left, right foot right, feet in the day, feet in the night.!” It helps him focus when we need to get ready fast, and learning the difference between left and Right is a bonus. When it comes to brushing the teeth we sing a song from dare I say it, BARNEY! Part of the song says “I am brushing my teeth on the bottom cause I’d hate to say I forgot ‘em." and then there is “Oh I am brushing my teeth in the back, I’ve got to get rid of all of that plaque.” And we are still working on this one, because right now a more accurate song for what he does would be “well I am eating my tooth brush and paste, because I just like the way that it tastes.”
I think songs are a great way to learn on any level and it can begin SO young. A lot of the songs we just make up and with my husband being a muscician he likes to get involved too. I know it’s a simple concept as old as the American alphabet, and maybe a little silly at times, but it works for me. To see what is working for other people check out WFMW, at wearethatfamily.com.
7 comments:
It is funny, but if it works why not! I do it too and sometimes it ends up not making sense but I'm amazed sometimes at how well I can make these songs rhyme off the top of my head. My son just smiles and laughs at me like he knows I"m being silly and can't sing, but maybe when he starts talking he'll sing along too.
Alpha, beta, gamma, delta ... if she taught us nothing else, Mrs. Grass taught us the greek alphabet ;)
Sometimes I feel I live in a musical with my three - there is so much singing that happens around this place!
Jamie
We didn't sing everything when the kids were growing up but we did have a song or 2 for each kid attached to an action. Like," Natalie jean natalie jean she's a pitsy wotsy dancin machine. " Or my favorite from a Salty musican " No no don't do it Natalie, no no don't do it Natalie God's got a better way, take the time to pray". You get the idea.
N.L.W.
I love educational songs! I've been teaching my 4-year-old some I learned as early as preschool, about dinosaurs and astronomy.
We also make up songs about bagels (click my name for examples) which are not teaching facts but help my son to practice thinking of rhymes, which is useful for reading readiness. Also, it's fun!!
That's so smart!! My kids learn really well through song too.
The only time knowing the Greek alphabet ever comes in handy for me is one time each year in my 6th grade reading class when we read about Greeks and Romans. I would impress those 6th graders with my mad skilz, yo.
Now that song is in my head! (I learned it in college, when I pledged a sorority. Some things stick with you forever, eh?
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