The Long & Short of Moving with Baby

Parenting Tip: Move with baby to long and short sounds, this week!

 

Why?

Learning to control energy is an important skill that helps with balance, expressive movement and coordination. 

When we use smooth movements to go with connected, legato sounds, and bumpy movements to go with short, staccato sounds, we are preparing your child to better-understand those musical articulations.

 

How?

Turn on some music and dance with baby! 

Then, listen to some Bird Voices!  Most of these calls have a bumpy quality to them.  Can you and baby wiggle as the birds make their calls?  What if you paused the video between birds, and rock & sway smoothly, like the clouds that float in the sky?  Does baby prefer one movement more than the other? 

Cue up 'This Little Light of Mine' (from Kindermusik's Way Up High CD), and grab a baby bell or shaker.  Can you make smooth, long, connected sounds during the intro & other choral parts?  Can you make bumpy, short, non-sustained sounds during the banjo/dancy parts?  What if you add movement to match?  What is baby's reaction?

 

Want to Learn More?

On our blog - read 10 Reasons Why Music Belongs in Every Child's Home (whether you are having a smooth day, or a bumpy one!).

 

Kindermusik's 7-Year Continuum:

Now, you are your babies guide to the opposite concepts of sustained & unsustained movement.  As the music changes from smooth to bouncy, you move baby and change movement styles accordingly.  As a toddler, you will move in smooth & bouncy ways, as your child follows along, imitating those movement styles, and noticing how they match changes in the music.  In Kindermusik preschool class, your child will learn musical terms for smooth (legato) and bouncy (staccato), and will use legato & staccato motions during musical games ('out here on the sea, the waves are bumpy today – get in your 'staccato' boats!).  As a big kid in Young Child class, your child will review staccato & legato, will draw representations of legato & staccato sounds, and will sing & perform using staccato & legato articulations.