Do you love music and want your kids to have the same appreciation? Here are some ways you can bring music into your everyday life with the kiddos. I’ve partnered with Bobs & LoLo to help promote their new CD Dirty Feet and since we have a love for music in our home, it wasn’t tough.
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” Victor Hugo
My mama made me take piano lessons. Every year or so I wanted to quit, but I’m so thankful I didn’t. I play the guitar as well and have sang in praise teams and choirs since youth. Am I amazing? No. Do I love it? Yes! My husband… the same. Both of us love music – though I’ll admit different types – and we both hope our kids will love it too.
Now this isn’t rocket science and I’m not talking about going all Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom on the kids, but just the small things that will help develop the kids’ natural interests and allow them to feel comfortable with music, singing, playing, and just creating sound.
1. Play music during restless times.
Music is a great way to diffuse a contentious moment and give the kids something to “focus” on. This is often a go to when we’ve had independent play, outside time, and have a long space of time with no planned activities to fill it. This is the best time to play music, actually, because it gives you something to do that involves the kids’ senses that isn’t screen time. Bobs & LoLo’s new album Dirty Feet is just the type of music that gets the kids involved. It’s catchy and begs you to sing and dance, if you know what I mean.
2. Sing randomly.Â
I have an okay voice, not amazing by any means, but I’m happy to sing all the time to and with the kids. I’ll sing sentences and sing to be silly. If you think your voice is like nails on a chalkboard, then you can always just have a sing songy type voice on occasion. I think the key for me is that the kids feel natural and not awkward breaking out in song. Ha :). My mom taught the kids God Bless America around the 4th of July this year, and they will randomly break out in song. Kids love an audience and I love being their audience.
3. Got an instrument?
My husband has a guitar and will often (by often I mean at least a few times a week) just sit and play the guitar. My daughter will go to him and start singing. Half the things she says make sense, the other half don’t, but she truly does have rhythm. She can change key, create a bridge, and sing a full few minutes on key. I just love watching her get creative.
4. Work it into normal activities.Â
One way that we play silly (which is good for my Type A personality) is to have marches. When we’re playing outside, walking around, or doing yard work I’ll often break out in song. Whether it’s a song kids know from a CD, church, or one we randomly make up, we will sing and shout and laugh. I will say I don’t do this on purpose, per se, but that it’s instinctual I guess. I really want the kids to feel comfortable around and with music.
5. Play it in the car.Â
I’ll admit I often play books on tape in the car, but as the kids get older and are able to understand words on the radio I find myself not wanting to let them hear the radio as much for long periods. It takes us 10 minutes to get to “town” so playing a CD  is a great way to expose children to music, give them something to focus on, and help pass the time more calmly in the car.
My kids have watched the below video quite a few times and, since they get dirty feet pretty much every single day of their lives, found the whole video super fun. You an download DirtyFeet online here and purchase the physical CD here. Bobs & LoLo are touring North America, so if you love to take your kids to mini conerts and fun events that are age appropriate, check out their tour dates here.
Kathryn H. says
This is all great advice. I know that what my mom played for me both in the house and in the car when I was smallest was what determined my taste in music and gave me a love for good music. If parents choose a variety of CDs with children’s songs, rhymes, folk tunes, classical pieces, and other types of music for which you want your kids to develop a love, they will take it in by osmosis when they’re tiny. It becomes the background music to their lives, and hearing it makes “learning” so easy. Kids want to be like their parents; if you show your joy in music, they’ll emulate you.
Rachel Norman says
I totally agree with you and hope my kids love it as much as we do! I’m not sure how I’ll successfully manage 4 kids in music lessons, or if we’ll just try to teach them ourselves, but we shall see! Thanks for commenting, Kathryn. I really appreciate it!