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Music Magic

WIC Playground

Looking for a reason to get out of the house and pull your kids away from the TV? Take a look at the resources offered in Utah County and surrounding areas and see what new adventures you can find. Click on the links below for information on location, open hours and activities and services provided.

Activities with Music

Why is Music Important for my Child?

Music for Infants

Music for Toddlers

Sing-a-long Music for all Ages

Links to Music Resources for Children

Why is Music Important for my Child?

Many studies show that teaching music to children increases their learning ability and capacity. Not only is it good for your child, but it is a lot of fun! Lullabies can help sooth your child to sleep. Songs with a faster beat can help your children to be active. Belinda Woodman, from the Ministry of Education, gives the following tips:

Ways to Reduce Stress with Music

Sing out loud—it makes you take in deep breaths and reduces stress.
Listen to or play soothing music with your child.
Dance to music with your child.
Make up your own funny words to encourage your child's sense of humor.
Share songs and tunes with your child from your family history. It is really wonderful
for your child to hear songs in your first language.

Ways to Use Singing with Children

Enjoy singing and dancing together whenever you can.
Sing to let your child know what is coming next.
Listen to a wide variety of different music—but not too loud.
Make and play with simple musical instruments—pot drums, jingle bells, simple
shakers.
Have soothing background music playing while doing everyday activities
Dance with your baby on you hip, your toddler on your feet.
Make up your own words and tunes for songs with your child. Make up a little phrase
or a loving name for your baby and sing it to a simple tune.

What if I Can't Sing?

Sometimes you might feel self-conscious about your singing, but your young child won't judge the quality of your voice. They love hearing you, feeling the sounds you are making, the changes in volume and pitch, and rhythm. Singing is an activity that you can enjoy sharing with your child any time, anywhere.

Music for Infants

Infants love music! Below are songs for children that have been around for a long time. Your infant may not understand your words, but he will love the movement and the sound of your voice. These can also be used for your toddler. So, warm up those vocal chords and start singing!

Look for a variety of lyrics and music for children songs at NIEHS Kids Page
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/kids/music.htm.

Or try some hand games for infants and toddlers at Suite101.com
http://infantstoddlers.suite101.com/article.cfm/hand_games_for_infants_and_toddler

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Momma’s Got…

Little Bunny Foo-Foo

Pat-a-Cake

Bumble Bee, Bumble Bee

The Little Piggy

Itsy Bitsy Spider

NIEHS Kids Page
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/spider.htm

The eensy weensy spider crawled up the water spout
(Touch index finger of each hand to the thumb of the opposite hand, making a spider and “walk” it upward)
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
(Bring your hands from above your head, down to your lap, wiggling your fingers to show rain)
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
(Make a half-circle with your arms above your head)
And the eensy weensy spider crawled up the spout again.
(Again, make the spider with your hands and “walk” it upward)

Back to Music For Infants

Momma’s Got…

Momma’s got ten fingers.
(Wiggle your finger in front of baby’s face)
Baby’s got ten toes.
(Wiggle baby’s toes)
Momma’s got a tummy.
(Rub your tummy)
Baby’s got a nose!
(Touch baby’s nose)

Back to Music For Infants

Little Bunny Foo-Foo

Little Bunny Foo-Foo hopping through the forest,
(Make bunny ears with your first two fingers and have the bunny “hop” past baby’s face)
Scooping up the field mice
(Use one hand to scoop up the other)
And bopping them on the head.
(“Bop” the scooped up hand)

Back to Music For Infants

Pat-a-Cake

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker’s man.
Bake me a cake as fast as you can.
(Clap baby’s hands together to the rhythm of the rhyme)
Roll it,
(Roll baby’s hands around each other)
And pat it and mark it with a B,
And put it in the oven for baby and me!
(Continue to clap baby’s hands together to the rhythm of the rhyme)

Back to Music For Infants

Bumble Bee, Bumble Bee

Bumble bee, bumble bee straight from the farm.
(Use your index finger to make circles in the air coming closer and closer to baby)
Bumble bee, bumble bee under your arm!
(Use index finger to tickle baby under the arm)

Back to Music For Infants

The Little Piggy

This little piggy went to market.
(Wiggle baby’s first toe)
This little piggy stayed home.
(Wiggle baby’s second toe)
This little piggy had roast beef.
(Wiggle baby’s middle toe)
This little piggy had none.
(Wiggle baby’s fourth toe)
This little piggy cried wee wee wee all the way home!
(Wiggle baby’s pinky toe)

Back to Music For Infants

Music for Toddlers

Your child is growing up. It is time to sing songs that include learning about all different aspects of life. Ruth Harris, from “Songs for Teaching”, gives the following songs that include learning and music.

Preschool, Early Childhood, and Kindergarten Songs

Songs for Teaching
http://www.songsforteaching.com/preschoolkindergarten.htm

Click on the song under the learning topic you would like your child to learn about. Then, click “listen to this song.” The lyrics will be given. The clip will only give you about 30 seconds of the song. Check out your local library for the song if you like the sound of it; they might have it available for check out in the audio section.