MUSIC AND THE OLDER BABY
As your baby grows, you will delight in seeing how she begins to rock, wiggle, bob, and dance to the music she hears. All babies have an instinctive sense of rhythm and a love of music, so music should be a part of your everyday life. Here are some ways in which you can nurture your older baby’s relationship with music.
- Play simple games with your baby that involve both music and movement: Pat-a-Cake (clap your baby’s hands), This Little Piggy (wiggle her little toes), or Ride a Horse to Banbury Cross (jiggle her on your lap).
- Dance and sing with your baby. Have a daily dance session in the living room where both of you wiggle to the beat of some lively music. (This is a great way to fit in your own daily exercise program.) Create your own lyrics to a favourite song, with your baby’s name in it (“You are my Thomas, my little Thomas, you make me happy when skies are grey” to the tune of “You Are My Sunshine”). Soon your baby will be singing right along with you.
- Let your baby play with musical instruments. You can make them yourself: a shaker made from a small plastic bottle with beans or popcorn kernels in it (make sure the lid is glued and tightened securely to prevent a choking hazard); a drum made out of an empty coffee can; a pie pan and a spoon to tap out the rhythm to a song. And of course, you can also buy xylophones, tambourines, harmonicas and other instruments for your baby but be warned: babies can make a LOT of fun noise with these instruments!
- Find a “music and movement” playgroup for your baby, in which both you and your baby can learn about music and have fun with other babies and parents. Some cities also have musical concerts for the very young.
- Get “read and sing” books for your baby. Any song book with animals will be a hit, as babies love to point, sing, and dance and moo to the tune of songs like “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.”
Elizabeth Pantley is a mother of four, grandmother, and author of the bestselling book, The No-Cry Sleep Solution, plus 8 other books in the No-Cry Solution Series, which helps mums and dads through all key stages of parenting. Visit her on her website, blog, Instagram or Pinterest.
