You might think that getting preschool songs stuck in your head is the worst thing imaginable. Well, it might be for you, but for your child it’s the best thing possible. Hearing “Old McDonald,” “The Muffin Man,” and other favorites over and over can drive us crazy but it reinforces those words, rhythm, and musical sense into your child.
3 Ways to Create a Rich Sensory Environment
To get the full effect of music for your child, you’ve got to introduce them to it, let them listen, and even start playing music. Here are a few ways to get started:
- Listen to the Music: Have music around, it’s that simple. Play music at home while you’re doing everyday things. Sing along to your favorites in the car with your little one. Encourage them to dance and act silly and have fun. The more you fill their days with music the more apt they’ll be to interact, be creative, and have a better mood. Preschools have music all the time, and kids are often singing and dancing. It’s a good place for them to interact with each other in the presence of music.
- Introduce to Music: Listening to music in the car or at home is great, but it just can’t compare to listening to music live. Take your child to a live performance of whatever kind of music. Classical is great, and you’ll often find free shows in parks during the summer. Children really come alive when they can hear the music around them as it happens, and they’ll get a better understanding of how music works by seeing it played firsthand.
- Encourage in the Music: You’ve listened, seen, and now the time’s come to play. That’s right! Just because you’ve got a preschooler at home doesn’t mean you can’t start to learn music, and you can in fact start much earlier. You can always whistle and just about anything can be a drum. When children are preschool age they’re more than ready to start playing around with smaller instruments, and could even begin to figure out the more difficult ones with a little help and encouragement.
What do Preschool Students Think of Songs?
Preschool students love songs, and they also love to hate them. First, kids really like to listen to songs, sing along, dance around, and generally act silly. When the music comes on it’s usually a sign that the fun’s about to begin. That’s all part of the rich sensory environment that music creates.
But overdo the same song and kids will start to get sick of it real quick, just like you do. I’ve seen this a lot teaching young preschool kids. One student will think it’s cool to not sing along, and the other kids will join them. Sometimes they even mock the songs by making up their own words or doing silly dances or gestures.
That’s great! It means they’re being creative, thinking for themselves, and showing their own unique personality. And they’re interacting with others. Music can be enjoyed in a variety of reasons, and when your child is hearing lots of fun songs in preschool, they’ll be better for it!