Kangaroos! A Fun Name-Learning Song This is a great activity for the beginning of the year, when you and the children are learning each other’s names. This gives you a fun and very bouncy way to do it! Choose two children to be kangaroos. They’ll jump around in the middle of the circle while the […]
Tag Archives: animals
A Very Fun and Easy Spanish Song So you’re looking for a super-easy, SHORT, song in Spanish that will make your 3-6 year old students laugh their heads off? And did I mention it’s easy and short? It’s “El pato Renato.” (Renato the Duck): (Translation, approximately: “Renato the duck doesn’t know how to sing, but […]
In my music enrichment classes for young children, I often read stories to which I add repeated, sung phrases or “sound effects” children can join in on. I find this adds: 1. Engagement as children focus in on the story and listen for the auditory cues for “their part,” […]
Is this a leopard or a cheetah? Not sure? Keep reading… Is it too late to make a New Year’s resolution? Because I’d like to make one today. (Sorry, Jan. 1 through 26!) I resolve to follow up on every scientific inquiry made by one of my young students. Even when it’s masquerading as an […]
Learning About Bats With a Song Kids LOVE! Bats are so cute!! Yes, you read that right. C’mon, how cute is this little guy? Bats are also the most populous mammals on Earth, next to rats (which aren’t cute). (Sorry, rat lovers!) So it’s good for children to learn about these furry flyers. This week, […]
Here’s a fun blog post from my publisher, Gryphon House, about how music and movement activities promote muscle development. It includes an activity from my book “101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children,” called “Animal Footsteps.” Music Activities to Boost Language Development and More August 27, 2015 Music activities for preschoolers not only stimulate the brain […]
“Wiggly Wiggly Wormies” I just invented this activity recently after a class of four-year-olds got very excited talking about a worm they saw outside! I think that almost all young children are fascinated by worms and their wiggliness, whether they think worms are cute or yukky! The group should be standing in a circle holding […]
“Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum” by Lisa Wheeler How would you like a sure-fire, always successful read-aloud story for the young children you teach? Well, here it is. One of my students’ top favorites. Here’s the plot: Uh oh! A toad is just walking down the road when he accidentally steps in bubble gum. Ooey, gooey […]
“Ruben’s Jungle/La Selva de Ruben” by Carlos Harrison This very sweet story is great for any day, but if you’re looking for an accessible, developmentally appropriate book for young children to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, this is a fun one. It’s written in English, with the Spanish version underneath the English words on each page. […]
“Bob” by Tracey Campbell Pearson Yes, I know there are farmyards-full of children’s stories about roosters, and even a subgenre of books about roosters who, for some reason, can’t crow. Either they lost their crow in some mysterious mixup, have a sore throat, were raised by parents of another species or just never learned how. […]
Music (and Science) For Young Children 