IT'S THE MAKING OF MUSIC THAT'S SO IMPORTANT: 20 MORE FAVORITE LITTLE KIDS SONGS THAT TEACH MUSIC CONCEPTS!
Over the past twenty years there have been many studies revealing how important music experiences are for a young child's cognitive development.
These findings indicate that children benefit the most from actually doing musical activities: in other words "by making music!"
You can read more about these studies by clicking this link: National Institute of Mental Health Report
Here's some more information at my past post here:
Musically Montessori: It's the Making of Music That's Important
Children in the early childhood setting love playing musical games and that is one of the best ways to stimulate their cognitive skills development!
You can read more about the "Piano & Forte Game" (quiet & loud in music) and the "Conductor Game" at my past post by clicking here: Magical Movement Company Blog: Piano & Forte Game.
I approach teaching little ones about music concepts in the most playful ways I can create! I have fun myself when singing in a high squeaky voice, or a low, low voice. Using the Montessori 3-Period Lesson and the Montessori "What's Missing Game" are two classic ways to introduce music concepts (and instruments, composers, etc) to children in a playful way.
Following are the next 20 songs in my series "A Hundred Songs": Favorites of the Children in the Montessori Music Room."
You can find the first 2 sets of favorite songs in my past posts by clicking here:
The First 20 Favorites and How to Teach Them
And here:
The Next 20 Favorites: Don't Forget the Traditional Ones
Over the past twenty years there have been many studies revealing how important music experiences are for a young child's cognitive development.
These findings indicate that children benefit the most from actually doing musical activities: in other words "by making music!"
You can read more about these studies by clicking this link: National Institute of Mental Health Report
Here's some more information at my past post here:
Musically Montessori: It's the Making of Music That's Important
Children in the early childhood setting love playing musical games and that is one of the best ways to stimulate their cognitive skills development!
Preschoolers playing the "Piano & Forte" game Jeri-Jo Idarius Photography
I approach teaching little ones about music concepts in the most playful ways I can create! I have fun myself when singing in a high squeaky voice, or a low, low voice. Using the Montessori 3-Period Lesson and the Montessori "What's Missing Game" are two classic ways to introduce music concepts (and instruments, composers, etc) to children in a playful way.
Following are the next 20 songs in my series "A Hundred Songs": Favorites of the Children in the Montessori Music Room."
You can find the first 2 sets of favorite songs in my past posts by clicking here:
The First 20 Favorites and How to Teach Them
And here:
The Next 20 Favorites: Don't Forget the Traditional Ones
100 Favorite Songs Categorized
THE NEXT TWENTY
ESPECIALLY FOR MUSIC CONCEPTS
- I Take My Voice Up High One of my quirky videos with a funny song for children to practice singing in a HIGH PITCH & LOW PITCH
- Listen & Tell Me What You Hear Wonderful game from Frank Leto to re-inforce the names & sounds of 5 basic RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS
- I Am A Fine Musician Great traditional song adapted by Frank Leto FOR PLAYING RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS IN AN ENSEMBLE STYLE (*See below)
- Be My Echo (1 &2) Really engaging echo game for PRACTICING RHYTHM PATTERNS
- Hot Cross Buns Good for exploring the concept of the QUARTER REST IN MUSIC (*See below)
I * I AM A FINE MUSICIAN: In addition to playing the game of taking turns with various instruments as they are named, I also like to sing this song when giving out instruments to a group of children. I ask them to "rest" their instruments until everyone has theirs. I sing:
"We are fine musicians,
We rest our instruments. (repeat)
We're resting, we're resting, we're resting our
instruments.
We are fine musicians,
We rest our instruments."
*HOT CROSS BUNS: This old favorite is a great song for activities to demonstrate the quarter rest in music. I introduce the song by showing the children a photo of hot cross buns (there are pictures on Google Images). Then I remind the children that when the buns are baked, they are still hot when they come out of the oven. Then, we pretend to hold our own "hot cross buns" in our open hands, then we practice blowing on them to cool them. The blowing action represents the rest in the song.
"Hot cross buns (pretend to blow on the imaginary bun)
Hot cross buns (blow)
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns (blow)"
Later, you can introduce the rhythmic notation of:
"Ta Ta Ta Zha (for the rest...no sound)"
See more about the quarter rest in music at my past post here: Quarter Rest Means Don't Play!
"We are fine musicians,
We rest our instruments. (repeat)
We're resting, we're resting, we're resting our
instruments.
We are fine musicians,
We rest our instruments."
*HOT CROSS BUNS: This old favorite is a great song for activities to demonstrate the quarter rest in music. I introduce the song by showing the children a photo of hot cross buns (there are pictures on Google Images). Then I remind the children that when the buns are baked, they are still hot when they come out of the oven. Then, we pretend to hold our own "hot cross buns" in our open hands, then we practice blowing on them to cool them. The blowing action represents the rest in the song.
"Hot cross buns (pretend to blow on the imaginary bun)
Hot cross buns (blow)
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns (blow)"
Later, you can introduce the rhythmic notation of:
"Ta Ta Ta Zha (for the rest...no sound)"
Sing: hot cross buns (blow)
See more about the quarter rest in music at my past post here: Quarter Rest Means Don't Play!
CLASSICS & NEW FROM ORFF-SCHULWERK
"Doctor Foster...stepped into a puddle, up to his middle..." (photo fromDollar Photo Club)
- Flying Man A wonderful contemporary resource for teaching singing & playing in the Orff-Schulwerk method based on IMITATION, MOVEMENT, EXPLORATION & IMPROVISATION/CREATING
- Bell Horses Classic Orff-Schulwerk activity adapted by Lynn Kleiner & you can see her activities in the book that accompanies this mp3 album. This one is good for ENSEMBLE PLAYING. Here's the book link:
- O My, I Want A Piece of Pie This is an excellent CALL-AND-ANSWER song that re-inforces keeping a continuos steady beat.
- Great Big House in New Orleans (*See below)
- Highway #1 Very good song for incorporating BODY PERCUSSION that fits into the rhythm of the song. Fun for children to copy the adult as well as create their own movements.
- Wee Willie Winkie First, DRAMATIZE the story. Later ADD RHYTHM INSTRUMENTS for the dynamic elements of the story.
- Ah Boom Chicka Boom Use this fun RHYTHM ECHO with any music concept (Ex: high/low, fast/slow, loud/quiet, staccato/legato, etc)
- Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar A challenging activity for children to develop UNINTERRUPTED BEAT KEEPING while adding each child's name to the rhyme.
- Head & Shoulders, Children, 1-2-3 Wonderful Southern U.S. rhythm with DRAMATIC MOVEMENT that can be varied in many ways (ex: "bounce the ball, baby 1-2-3, ...)
- Doctor Foster Great song for DRAMATIZING THE STORY. Use PROPS like an umbrella and place a hoop on the floor for the "puddle."
- Simple Simon Watch this video to see a CLASSIC ORFF-SCHULWERK lesson-to-performance with a song from this pedagogy.
- Did You Feed My Cow? Lovely FOLK RHYME with "CALL & ANSWER" component.
- Sally Go Round the Sun Another fun CIRCLE GAME with a beautiful song to go along
- Jack Is Hiding in His Box (* See below) Watch my "Homebound Montessori" Music Lesson for Kids, featuring this activity.
- Oh, John the Rabbit Another "CALL & ANSWER" song from traditional American folk music.
"Great big house in New Orleans
Fifty stories high
Every room in that big house
Filled with ________ pie!" (fill in the blank with your
favorite pie)
* JACK IS HIDING IN THE BOX: You'll need a hand drum for this activity. I play this activity with the sol-mi melody. After the children have had experience dancing to the Jack-in-the-box song, then I introduce this game. I invite the children to pretend they are a jack-in-the-box and scrunch down inside the "box". Then, I tell them that when they hear the drum, then they jump up out of the box!
"Jack (or Jill) is hiding in his box
Somebody open up the lid....POP!" (tap the drum, then
children will pop up out of their boxes at the sound of
the drum)
Watch for my NEXT Hundred Songs Post: 20 MORE FAVORITES FOR SMOOTH TRANSITIONS & MORE with some fun activities, little videos, and links to the songs.
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