Keys to Singing for Preschoolers!

Musical Parenting Tip – Sing ‘Sol-Mi’ songs with your preschool child

Why?

• 'Young children often cannot distinguish between their speaking and singing voices, and thus sing in a kind of speaking drone.  Children should be encouraged from a young age to explore the upper, or head voice (upper adjustment), and employ their voice for singing tasks as much as possible.' - Teaching Kids to Sing, by Kenneth H. Phillips
• According to Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine (Dec/Jan 1999), singing with and to your child can:
• calm when upset, soothe fears, and reduce irritability;
• enhance a child’s grasp of language and sense of beauty;
• remind a child that he/she is cherished and loved;
• improve communication and intimate bonding between parent and child.

How?

• One way to encourage your child to sing, is to sing, yourself! 
  Singing to a child is a priceless gift.  It doesn’t matter if you feel like your voice is not star quality; to your child, the sound of your voice is the best sound in the whole world. 
• cue up the 'Sounds of the Farm' track (on the ‘Around the Farm’ CD), and singalong with your child.  Notice that the 'driving on down to...' lyrics are sung on 'Sol' and 'Mi.'  Also, show your child how to sing the last line: 'what sound will we hear?' on the numbers, '5-4-3-2-1.'
• Listen to the 'Clever Cows' track on your home CD, and sing the cows up & down the hill, together (then, watch the cartoon cows move up & down the hill during the Clever Cows fingerplay activity).

Want to learn more?

• On our blog – how to sing to (and with) your child.