When the babies in my classes grow up and start to learn to walk, they don't want to be sitting down for long - it's called a love of mobility! This walking thing is all new and fantastic - why stop still?
So I have to think of ambulatory musical activities that are achievable for little ones. Train songs are ideal. Here are some of my favourites.
Pic: thegraphicsfairy.com
Puffer Train - Beat
This is a great song for keeping the beat as we choof around the room. It also encourages the children to vocalise in the "chh chh chh" part.
Big Black Train - Pitch
Big black train, big black train, take me up the mountain
Big black train, Big black train, take me home again!
This is a great song to use with older children to explore pitch as the train goes up and down the mountain. The children can move little train toys up and down sloping tracks, or up and down their grown-up's bent knee. Children can even play up and down the diatonic scale on the chime bars.
For babies, this can be a bouncing activity where the parent's knees move up and down with the pitch. Or, the children can move around the room, going "up the mountain" towards one end of the room and "down" towards the other.
Train that Goes - Rests
I'm a train that goes, I'm a train that goes, and I go and go an go until I STOP!
Learning to start and stop is the precursor to learning about rests in music. It is also good for developing children's listening skills. It is also great fun.
Choo Choo Ka - Dynamics
This is another "moving about" game, but the rhyme demonstrates the meaning of "pianissimo" and "fortissimo". This is an example of the children learning how the dynamics feel, and having experience of a concept way before they learn to name it. Importantly, the performance varies in terms of loudness and softness, but the tempo and stays the same.
Morningtown Ride - lullaby
A great lullaby, because it helps children feel "warm and snug" in their beds, and the soothing verses can be repeated until the child drops off to sleep.
