Most baby and toddler groups have a song and music time built into their routine for families to join in with, but we often get asked questions by groups who are struggling to get the most from this in a way that best meets the needs of the children and families attending their group.
Not everyone is comfortable singing in public, and some leaders and families share with us that they find this difficult to do as they lack the confidence to join in, feel that they don’t know enough songs, or get embarrassed.
But what are the benefits of encouraging your families to come together to enjoy singing?
Taking part in singing releases feel good hormones, called endorphins, that act as mood boosters, helping children and adults to feel more relaxed and happier. Singing supports language development, providing a safe space and opportunities to learn about – and practice – pitch, rhythm, new vocabulary, and new sounds. Combining songs with actions and movements can help children to build both their motor skills and co-ordination, as they move in time to the music. Songs can be a great way to express thoughts and feelings in a new and creative way building children’s imagination.
Our groups have shared with us some of their top tips to make singing a success:
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Make sure that families feel that your group is a safe space where their musical abilities aren’t being judged by others.
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Start with a shorter singing time and make sure it includes your families’ favourites.
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Be realistic about the length of time that your little ones will be able to focus, and respect that some families may not want to join in initially.
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Slowly build up your song repertoire over time and include not only traditional nursery rhymes but songs that reflect the cultures of the families attending your group. Don’t be afraid to include some newer songs, too.
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Gently encourage your parents and carers to join in and be role models for their children.
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Look at your session routine and ask when the best time would be to come together for singing.
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Mix in some spoken rhymes too that don’t require following a tune.
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Include songs with actions and sounds to give everyone different ways of engaging and getting involved.
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Use props and puppets that add visual clues to the songs and help children to stay focused.
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Give lots of praise – for some children and grown-ups, this is a new learning experience.
Learning songs through Lycra
One of the most popular singing activities that can help to bring a group together is, perhaps surprisingly, Lycra. This four-way stretch fabric involves everyone working together to hold and move the fabric in time to the songs and following the instructions. You’ll need a piece big enough for your group so that everyone can fit around it.
This is a great song to get everybody warmed up and taking part, just by following the instructions!
(Sung to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down)
Wave the Lycra up and down, up and down, up and down
Wave the Lycra up and down, up and down, up and down
Altogether now
Stretch the Lycra in and out, in and out, in and out…
Shake the Lycra way down low, way down low, way down low…
Lift the Lycra say hello, say hello, say hello…
This song encourages everyone to move and pull against the Lycra as they row their boats. You could try having some soft animal toys that join in on the Lycra as you sing about them, too!
Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream.
Rock, rock, rock your boat gently out to sea
If you see a crocodile don’t forget to scream.
Row, row, row your boat gently down the river
If you see a polar bear don’t forget to shiver.
Row, row, row your boat quickly back to shore
If you see a lion don’t forget to roar.
Everyone enjoys a game of hide and seek and in this song the children all ‘hide’ under the Lycra. At the end, the Lycra is lifted up and all the children ‘discovered’.
Where are the children, where are the children
Where have the children gone?
Peek-a-boo children, peek-a-boo children
They were there all along.
This song uses soft animal toys on the Lycra as you sing and bounce them up and down. On the shoo shoo shoo chorus, the idea is to bounce the animals off the Lycra – they can travel quite a distance!
Pigs in the pantry oink, oink, oink
Pigs in the pantry oink, oink, oink
Pigs in the pantry oink, oink, oink
What shall we do Tom farmer.
Chase them away shoo, shoo, shoo
Chase them away shoo, shoo, shoo
Chase them away shoo, shoo, shoo
That’s what we’ll do Tom farmer.
Cows in the kitchen moo, moo, moo…
Horse in the shower neigh, neigh, neigh…
Dogs in the dustbin woof, woof, woof…
Cats in the bed meow, meow, meow…
We often like to finish a session with the pea pod song – it’s a great way to get the Lycra gathered up again before putting it away. Everyone works together to pull the Lycra tighter and tighter until in the last line, when on ‘pop’, everyone but the session leader lets go. All the Lycra will then end up with them.
Five little peas in a peapod pressed
One grew, two grew and so did all the rest
They grew and they grew, and they did not stop
‘til all of a sudden
The pod went POP!