Category: Preschool

Music holds a lot of power in child development. That’s why many children’s songs and age-appropriate activities involve music. It can do even more when you incorporate melodies into lessons for preschoolers. The right songs can boost a child’s IQ, improve communication, and make them happy.

Using music in preschool education can be easier said than done sometimes. Not every method works on most kids. However, these examples may effectively teach and encourage love for music in children.

Create Musical Morning Routines

Children, especially younger ones, thrive on routines. Following predictable activities helps kids feel more secure and teaches them structure. If your preschool class already has daily routines, adding a few melodies could engage the kids more.

A customized ‘welcome’ song is a fantastic musical activity to start the day. It doesn’t have to be fancy. A simple melody with understandable lyrics is enough. Why not include each child’s name in the song or mention the day of the week to make it more personal to your class?

You can also pair music with the kids’ daily tasks. A song for each activity turns a mundane drill into an exciting learning opportunity.

For parents, you’d want only the best for your children. Many early childhood education centers are great, but consider a daycare that includes music in its curriculum. Music as a separate subject and an element of everyday routines creates structure and makes kids feel included.

Use Songs for Storytelling

Songs have always been part of storytelling, and for many ancient societies, music was the only mode of relaying tales. Keep up the tradition by combining stories and music—two things kids enjoy.

Music in preschool education through stories makes the experience more engaging. For example, when reading ‘The Three Little Pigs’, sing repeated lines or assign each pig a specific sound. Why not turn classic fairytales into simple musical numbers? Give each child an instrument to play during their designated character’s parts, so everyone has a role.

You can introduce sing-along books if you’re not musically adept as a teacher. Many nursery rhymes, like ‘There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,’ come in book form. Sing along as you read to the children and encourage them to follow your lead. It’s entertaining, but it’s also critical to a child’s language development and cognitive skills.

Turn Lessons into Musical Games

Have your kids been uninterested in their lessons lately? Boost their enthusiasm by turning class sessions into musical games! Many catchy songs teach preschoolers about numbers, colors, and shapes. Some even teach basic science concepts.

Try a game where kids walk in a circle while a song plays—like musical chairs. Then, when the music stops, let them answer a color-related question. Another activity is playing a ‘count and clap’ rhythm game to practice children’s number sequencing.

Call-and-response songs work well, too. They teach kids how to listen, memorize, and participate while reinforcing classroom topics. These games are fun musical experiences that form connections between learning and movement.

Explore Feelings Through Music

If there’s one trait most young children share, it’s the inability to express emotions appropriately. That’s why some have tantrums when they encounter a stressful event.

Music is a gentle tool for helping kids understand and regulate their emotions. In fact, the emotional benefits of music are so well-researched that it’s even incorporated in therapy for all ages.

Introduce songs about different feelings, like the ever-reliable ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It.’ As you play or perform the song, ask questions such as, ‘How does this song make you feel?’ or ‘Can you show me a sad face as we listen to this slow song?’

To encourage healthier emotional regulation, set up a ‘feelings corner.’ Add soft music and calming instruments like chimes and rain sticks in this spot. Children can visit this corner when they need to calm down or express themselves. This classroom spot gives them an outlet for their emotions safely and creatively.

Incorporate Music in Art and Movement Projects

Songs are flexible enough to be paired with other activities kids love. You can find music in preschool education integrated with art subjects and even PE, helping develop coordination in kids.

Play different tunes while the children paint or draw and see how they affect their choices. Fast-tempo songs might inspire them to make bolder strokes and use vivid colors, while slow ones could lead to softer patterns.

Any physical activity is also a great match with music. Dance songs shine here, with classic melodies like ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes’ teaching kids about their bodies. If you can, choreograph a dance based on themes like seasons or farm animals. Ensure the dance is simple so the kids can follow it, enhancing their motor skills through every step.

Encourage Child-Led Music Creation

You don’t always have to be the one making all the plans. The kids might have wonderful ideas for playing around with music. Encourage them to make their own! Have some simple musical instruments ready or craft them.

Some DIY instruments include paper plate tambourines, plastic spoon maracas, and straw pan flutes. Afterward, watch the children proudly show off their creations and musical talents.

Guide your preschoolers through group songwriting sessions, too. For instance, ask them to help you create new lyrics to familiar songs or write a song about a topic. This opportunity unleashes their creativity and refines their cognitive development and language skills.

Conclusion

Music in preschool education doesn’t have to be a separate subject. You can effectively incorporate it into everything you do in class. When done right, it could become a vital element in the development of children.

So, fill the silence with sounds! The kids will love learning even more when you pair fun music with lessons and chores in the classroom.

Being a parent is one of the greatest joys of life. However, it is also an immense responsibility. While you want your kid to have a great childhood, you also need to ensure that they remain as safe and healthy as possible. So, before you hand them any toys, you need to clean and sanitise them for additional safety.

Here are a few ways you can clean and sanitise the toys every once in a while.

1.   Plush Toys Need to Be Washed

Stuffed animals and plush toys are some of the most popular toys among babies and toddlers. However, they also attract a significant amount of dust, allergens, moisture, and germs. To ensure your baby does not get affected by these elements, wash these plush toys regularly with detergent. Manufacturers like Riff Raff sell machine-washable plush toys that you can toss in the washer for a quick refresh. Air-dry the toys after each wash to prevent mould and mildew growth.

2.   Use Disinfectant Wipes for Hard Toys

Disinfectant wipes are convenient for quick clean-ups and effectively kill germs. You can simply take a disinfectant wipe and carefully clean plastic blocks, rattles, or toy cars without any hiccups. Once you disinfect the toys, leave them for a few minutes before wiping them with a clean piece of cloth. This will give the wipe enough time to kill any bacteria on the surface. Just ensure the toys are dry before you return them to your kids.

3.   Boil Non-Electronic Toys for a Chemical-Free Clean Up

If you don’t want to use any chemicals to sanitise the toys, boiling water can help you do the job effectively. This sanitisation method is ideal for small, non-electronic toys that are heat-resistant. Simply boil the toys for a few minutes to kill germs and bacteria. You do not need any harsh disinfectants for this process. Just ensure the toys can withstand heat before throwing them into the pot.

Avoid boiling toys with batteries or electronics, as the heat can damage them. Wait for a few hours once you are done boiling the toys, allowing them to cool down.

4.   Scrub the Toys with Soap

For hard toys that do not require heavy disinfecting, you can scrub them with mild soap (like baby shampoo or a dishwashing liquid) and warm water. For proper cleaning, scrub for at least 30 seconds. This will help you get rid of germs and dirt from the toys. After washing, let the toys air dry in the sun. With this practice, you can eliminate soap residue from the toys while sunlight sanitises them with UV rays.

5.   Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Disinfecting

Disinfecting the frequently used items is one of the most effective ways to maintain hygiene at home. You can also use hydrogen peroxide to safely disinfect baby toys. It is non-toxic in nature and can kill germs effectively if used correctly. Just fill a spray bottle with this component and spray down the toys. Let the sprayed solution sit on the toys for about 10 minutes.

Next, wipe them off with a wet cloth. Since hydrogen peroxide is a gentle disinfectant, it does not cause any harm to your toddler. Also, you do not get any lingering smell after cleaning the toys with hydrogen peroxide.

6.   Soak the Toys in Vinegar-Water Mix

Vinegar is a great alternative to chemical disinfectants for sanitising baby toys. This is safe for babies and toddlers and quite easy to use. Just mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a bowl or basin. Then, soak the plastic or rubber toys in the solution for several minutes. The vinegar will help eliminate the germs without needing any harsh chemicals.

Even though vinegar has a strong smell, you won’t find any odour once the vinegar dries. To ensure no traces of that odour, you can give the toys a quick rinse with fresh water after cleaning them with a vinegar solution. Air-dry the toys before handing them back to your child.

Conclusion

Cleaning and sanitising your baby’s toys frequently will prevent them from spreading germs and bacteria. Regular cleaning will also help you eliminate mould and mildew that can put your child’s health at risk. Just follow the tips mentioned above. Also, read the manufacturers’ guidelines before cleaning the toys using any of these methods.

It’s almost impossible nowadays to find kids playing hopscotch outdoors or having a traditional phone conversation with their schoolmates. Lately, it’s been all about video games or messenger chats. Screens entertain, but they rarely nurture the kind of focus, creativity, or emotional growth that something like learning a musical instrument can offer.

According to Harvard Health, too much gaming leads to circadian rhythm disorders – therefore, difficulty sleeping – anxiety, depression, insomnia, and the like. Not that you should ban your kids from playing video games, but there are more worthwhile activities to kick off their formative years, such as playing the piano.

A musical instrument invented in the 1700s, the piano offers several amazing health benefits, including what this activity can do for a child’s cognition. You’ve heard about history’s piano prodigies who started tinkering with the instrument during their childhood, from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself to Frédéric Chopin.

Those insights lead to the question: How early should a child learn the piano? Discover when the right time to introduce your child to this musical instrument is, and find out how Music To Your Home private piano lessons help improve their cognitive well-being.

How Early Should a Child Learn How to Play the Piano?

When is it too early, and when is it too late? Experts from Music To Your Home, a private piano school in New York City, say that they must start between the ages of six and nine. Some kids will learn the instrument a little bit later, maybe because they saw their schoolmate bringing a piano in class and playing it, but if you wish your child can nourish this talent and be able to play a song on the piano without forcing it, they should begin before they turn 10.

Similar to introducing them to LEGO or to traveling abroad at an early age, early piano learning builds strong neural connections, enhances coordination, and fosters discipline. This time, let us focus on the first effect: building strong cognition.

7 Impressive Benefits of Learning Piano for Your Kids’ Brain Function

Realizing your child isn’t performing well in academics? You might want to consider enrolling them in a music school. Piano playing benefits the brain in so many ways:

1. Strengthens Memory and Retention

Memory and retention are two skills that kids need in school and real life. Aside from remembering historical facts, they need some good retention skills when they’re already exploring the real world by themselves, such as when traveling.

The way piano playing can strengthen memory and retention is when musical notes on paper are translated into hand movements. Children who learn music at a young age can perform better on memory-related tasks.

2. Improves Coordination and Fine Motor Skills

The brain is the body’s command center. When playing the piano, it’s like a mental gymnastics’ routine since your visual and hearing senses – for reading the notes and listening to the tunes – should be in sync with their hands and coordination with your cognitive abilities, too.

3. Boosts Focus and Attention Span

The average attention span of a person right now is just between eight to nine seconds, not bad if you’re sharing static visual content on Facebook, but too bad if you’re trying to sell a product or insurance, for instance.

Train your child to retain their attention span as they grow up by having them learn how to play the piano. This instrument is great for this training, as kids will concentrate on several things: notes, rhythm, posture, finger placement, and the like.

4. Supports Language and Math Development

It isn’t true that only mathematics prodigies can become piano superstar talent. However, what’s indisputable is that piano strengthens math development in counting beats, understanding fractions, and recognizing patterns on a music note sheet. Aside from developing math learning, playing the piano also supports language development.

5. Builds Emotional Awareness and Reduces Stress

Does your child get too emotional quickly when finding themselves in an unfavorable situation in school? Do they get easily stressed out? Now is the proper time to combat these by introducing them to piano lessons.

This instrument gives them an outlet to express themselves. Plain and simple. Scientifically, playing the piano lowers stress hormones and boosts mood chemicals in the brain.

6. Encourages Lifelong Learning and Confidence

When kids see they’ve fulfilled their goals, whether playing their favorite song on the piano or performing in a recital, they feel more ready to take on new challenges in the future. This is another amazing benefit that piano playing can give.

7. A Smart Investment in Their Future

In this day and age, it isn’t enough for kids to just be sports-minded or academically inclined; they must also be well-rounded, a jack of all trades of some sort.

Signing up your child for piano lessons is an investment in their future, as well as for the development of a sharper mindset. Don’t be surprised if they’ve de-cluttered their room before you even tell them to after a piano playing session.

So, whether your child is just starting school or already juggling homework and after-school activities, the piano is one of those rare outlets that supports the whole child – mind, body, and heart. Enroll your child in a piano school today!

Baby sensory activities help your baby explore the world around them, improve their overall well-being, and develop their cognitive, physical, and emotional skills. For example, activities like music, tummy time, and playing with sensory toys are essential for your baby’s healthy development.

There are many different sensory activities you can try with your baby, but there is one common thread underlying them all: your baby is the doer, not the passive watcher. Your baby must be the one doing the exploring, not idly sitting by watching things happen.

For more on why this is important, read Are Montessori Toys Better for My Baby? There, we thoroughly explain sensory toys and their role in a child’s early development.

Here are some of the most popular baby sensory activities you can do at home anytime.

1. Tummy Time

Tummy time is crucial for babies because it helps them develop their neck, back, and shoulder muscles. At first, a baby will only be able to lift his or her head, but with some time and practice, he or she will begin pushing up onto their hands for a better view and even roll over.

You can make tummy time more sensory by placing different textures and toys around your baby to encourage them to reach and explore. One of the easiest ways to do this is by laying your baby on a quilt with blocks of various fabric colors and textures. Placing a sensory toy or two nearby will give your baby something to move toward and grasp.

As your baby grows and becomes more able-bodied and mobile, you can prepare an area on the floor with lots of fun things for little hands to feel.

2. Sensory Bins

Sensory bins are containers filled with materials your baby can touch and explore. You can fill these bins with rice, sand, or water and add toys to encourage exploration. Baby should be able to sit up before introducing this activity.

Be mindful that the bin should be heavier than your baby because he or she may attempt to pull up or push up on the side. Also, most babies will try to explore these little bits with their mouths. You should be right beside your little one as he or she experiences small materials.

Here are a few ideas:

• sponges in water
• measuring cups in sand
• glitter and water in a closed water bottle
• marbles in a sealed bottle
• different materials glued to a piece of cardboard
• ice cubes in a bowl
• frozen peas in a bowl

For babies not yet sitting up, you can fill bottles with marbles, bubbles, glitter, or rice, glue the lid back on the top, and let your baby roll it around. Another option is to fill a Ziploc bag with something interesting (frozen peas, colored dots, cornstarch and water, etc.) and let your little one squeeze and mash it.

3. Music and Singing

Babies love music and singing! Whether you play a song on your phone or sing to baby yourself, your little one will relish listening to melodies and watching you sing to them or dance.

You will also encourage your baby to listen and explore by listening to various types of music. Encourage even more giggles and connection by picking baby up and dancing together! It is such a joy when your little one bounces and dances to his or her favorite tunes.

4. Mirror Games

Place your baby in front of a well-secured mirror or hold a hand-held mirror in front of them so they can see their own reflection and interact with it. Some baby toys come with an unbreakable mirror for your baby to handle and giggle at.

You can go a step further by sitting behind your baby while naming and pointing at parts of your baby’s body or naming emotions as you show them with your own face in the mirror. As they get older, you can even ask them to point to their eyes, nose, mouth, and ears or make those funny faces in the mirror.

Mirror games are excellent for helping your little one develop body awareness, see emotions, and connect with you.

5. Look at Pictures

Looking at and talking about pictures in a photo album, around the house, or in a picture book is a wonderful way to tell your little one about their family members, friends, and the world beyond the walls of your home.

Before your baby can communicate with words, facial expressions help him or her understand. Smiling, in particular, represents safety and security in a healthy family. By sharing about family and friends with your little one as you show their smiling faces in pictures, you are helping them recognize smiles and eventually foster a sense of belonging.

6. Watch Moving Objects

Watching moving objects like fan blades, leaves blowing in the breeze, or shadows on a wall is fantastic for capturing and holding your baby’s attention. Focusing on movement helps your little one develop object-tracking skills visually.

Taking your baby for a walk outside or simply sitting still in the backyard allows your baby to see movement that he or she will not see inside. At first, infants cannot see very far, but a baby’s eyesight is improving rapidly throughout the first year (source). There are several ways you can do this inside and outside–ensure you mix it up often!

7. Suck on Clean Toys

This seems like an odd one, but babies really like to explore by tasting everything. From sucking on fingers and pacifiers to chewing on everything while teething, sucking and chewing are important ways for babies to discover the world around them.

The trick is making sure your baby doesn’t get anything harmful or tiny into his or her mouth. You can do this preemptively by preparing a play area beforehand with safe toys for chewing and slobbering on. Moonkie’s silicone toys and teethers are perfect for this!

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