Saturday, December 5, 2015

Ensemble Development and Steady Beat for Preschoolers

Musical Parenting Tip:  Create a Kitchen Ensemble for "Trot, Trot, Trot!"

 

Why?

Ensemble play helps your child practice keeping a steady beat. 

A steady beat coordinates sounds and movements in time. 

Developing an internal sense of steady beat helps children develop in many areas of learning, including music, movement, language, and mathematics.  It's at the core of what gives us the ability to walk effortlessly, speak expressively, and regulate repeated motions like riding a bicycle, dribbling a basketball, hammering, writing, skipping, dancing, and running.

 

How?

See how many ways you can move to the beat for Walking in the Green Grass

Find sound-making items in your kitchen, and give one to each member of the family. 

Play along with 'Trot, Trot, Trot' (from the Around the Farm CD) Can everyone keep the beat, together?  Will you  play the whole song together, or take turns?  Are you using wooden sounds, shakers, metal sounds, or scrapers?

Want to add some pitches to your steady beat?  Fill 5 water glasses with differing  amounts of water.  Line them up, from  left to right, with the most full on the left, and the least full on the right.  Label the glasses (left to right) with numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  Create your own 5-note melodies and add them to the ensemble.

 

Want to Learn More?

On our blog:  find ideas for practicing the steady beat, right at home!

Check out these fun videos of water glass performances: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL6YwPazc8I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdoTdG_VNV4


--
Juli Wright
Voice & Kindermusik Teacher
(BM - BGSU;  MA - Wyoming; Audio - The Recording Workshop, Ohio)
Contact:
julisongsKM@gmail.com
330-407-4326
julisongs.com

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