Let the Music Speak!
Whether you’re tapping your toes, snapping your fingers or swaying to the music, listening to tunes passes the time during the summer. It’s great entertainment, and for kids it’s more than that: It’s also great for developing their early literacy skills. When kids hear songs, they are practicing listening, word recognition and rhyming. They also learn about rhythm and how words can follow a specific beat. Take advantage of a child’s natural interest in music and direct it in ways that will help him or her learn a broader range of skills. Below are some suggestions:
- Throw a marching parade, clap along, stomp your feet. Use motions to help teach rhythm to kids.
- Know a reluctant reader who loves music? Ask her what the words mean in her favorite song and whether the song has a specific message.
- Connect songs to books by inviting your child to identify a particular character or story the song reminds him of.
- Create a family soundtrack based on songs your family likes to sing and tunes that remind you of family members. You can even compose original songs together and include those!
- Remember to check out fun and creative CDs while at the library. We have everything from Jim Cosgrove’s “Stinky Feet” to a classic collection of “Baby Beethoven.”
- Bring your family to “Tales and Scales with the Missouri Symphony Orchestra” 7 to 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Columbia Public Library. You’ll enjoy interactive compositions such as the story “Ferdinand the Bull,” designed to introduce children to the orchestral instruments through live music and storytelling. The evening will be led by Kirk Trevor, music director and conductor of the Missouri Symphony Orchestra. Designed for families with children aged 5 and older.