Music
Paper Plate Tambourines
Take 2 paper plates and decorate the bottoms of them with markers, crayons, tissue paper pieces, ribbons -- anything you have handy. Then put the two paper plates together so that the decorated bottoms are facing out. Begin to fasten the paper plates together by stapling around the outer edge. Once you have stapled three-quarters of the way around, pour some rice or beans into ...(read more)
Paper Mache Maracas
Take a small balloon (water balloon size) and fill it with a handful of small beans or rice. Then, fill the balloon with air to create the base for the paper mache. You will also want to cut or tear many strips of newspaper before you make the paper mache paste. To create the paper mache paste, use 2 parts water to 1 part flour. (If you make ...(read more)
Paper Tube Maracas
Take an empty paper towel or toilet paper tube. Cover one end with a small square of construction paper and fasten the square to the tube with a rubber band. Then fill the tube with dried beans or uncooked rice -- you can experiment with different amounts and with different materials (or combinations of materials) to create different sounds. Once you've placed the desired amount of beans ...(read more)
Musical Hoops
This is a great activity for groups of 2-6 children and a non-competitive alternative to musical chairs. Gather up several hoops or jump ropes tied in a loop, one for each child and adult. Place a different instrument (maracas, drums, home-made shakers, xylophones, etc.) in each hoop. Have each child choose where he or she wants to begin playing and start the music. Stop the music ...(read more)
Drawing Music
Put on some music for your little one. It can be classical, jazzy, kids or adult music. Give him a paper and crayon and have him draw the music he hears. Does it make him want to make slow, lazy loops or fast and frantic dots? Does it make him feel like using a blue, red or yellow crayon? Do it alongside your child and ...(read more)
Homemade Ukelele
Begin by painting palm trees or gluing tropical pictures onto the empty tissue box. After it dries, show your child how to stretch the rubber bands over the hole. (If needed, cut the hole into a larger oval shape.) Place a pencil under the rubber bands and perpendicular to them at one end of the hole in the box. Tape the paper towel tube to one ...(read more)
Freeze Dancing
Turn on the radio or CD Player and start to dance with the kiddies. Then turn the music off randomly and surprise the kids by saying 'Freeze.' If they don't freeze, they can be out or you can just continue to play without doing the elimination. With more kids the elimination works well and they have fun with it. Loads of laughs for a rainy day!(read more)
Backyard Boogie
Take your music and dancing outside for a change! With an extension cord or an outside outlet, you can play your kids favorite music or some of your old favories (we've played Abba, Billy Joel and the Eagles) and have a backyard dance party. I have found that it helps to place an object - a small blanket, ball or riding toy in the center of ...(read more)
Slow and Fast
This activity can be done with or without music. If you have a CD with different tempos of music, randomly play small sections of songs that are fast or slow. When your child hears a fast song, tell him to move fast. When the song is slow, tell your child to move slowly. If you don't have music, just call out the tempo - "Move fast, now move slow." This ...(read more)
Three Little Witches
Sung to the tune of "Three Little Indians"; sing these words and do the accompanying hand motions with your little one. One little, two little, three little witches (Count on fingers); Fly over haystacks & fly over ditches (Stretch arms out like a bird); Fly over moonbeams without any hitches (Stretch arms out like a bird); Hey its Halloween night; One little, two little, three little witches. (Count on fingers); ...(read more)
Animal Freeze Dance
You can play this with or without a song. Pick an animal and say, "Dance like a rabbit!" After a little while say, "Freeze." Then stop moving and then call out another animal to imitate its movement. Between animals say, "Freeze." You can take turns with your child picking different animals to imitate. Pick animals that cover a variety of movements such as frogs, snakes, monkeys, elephants or ...(read more)
Paper Plate Maracas
This is a project that your child can do (almost) all by herself! Begin by putting a handful or two of dried beans, rice, or popcorn in a paper plate. Then help your child staple another paper plate securely on top of it. (You can also use a single plate for each maraca by folding a paper plate in half, adding the beans, then stapling the rim to ...(read more)
Oatmeal Drum
Making a drum out of the tall 42 oz cylindrical shaped oatmeal container. Take top off and cover the container using decorated paper. You can use glue to seal the edges. Then seal opening with construction paper by securely using tape. Little kids will enjoy drumming away!(read more)
Music Acting
Play or sing a song that tells a story or describes movement such as "Jack and Jill" or "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain." Act out the movements to the story. This activity will encourage the children to listen to the words of the story and follow direction. (read more)
Strumming Strings
Collect a variety of rubber bands, big and small, thin and wide. Then use all different kinds of containers to stretch the rubber bands around to make a musical instrument. You can use anything from a Tupperware container to a yogurt or pudding cup, even a styrofoam container that your mushrooms came in. If rubber bands can be stretched around it, the opening can make music when ...(read more)
Name that Instrument
This activity works well with children who are familiar with different types of instruments that are played in symphonies and orchestras. You can either choose a classical piece or other songs where instruments are heard. As you play the songs, ask your child what instruments he hears. If he is having trouble identifying them, ask "Do you hear the drum?" This exercise may take time and practice but it ...(read more)
Monkey See, Monkey Do Music
Put on some fun music and take turns being the "monkey." The monkey's job is to imitate what the other dancer is doing. Does the music make you want to clap? spin? hop? roll? sleep? Monkey see, monkey do! Take turns and see how creative you can be. Kids LOVE to be imitated and to imitate, even little ones. (read more)
Cardboard Kazoo
Get an empty toilet paper tube and a piece of wax paper big enough to completely cover the end of the toilet paper roll. Secure the wax paper tightly onto one end of the toilet paper roll with a rubber band. With a nail or pen, poke a small hole in the cardboard tube near the end covered with wax paper. To play the kazoo, hold the uncovered end of ...(read more)
Clap, Pat, Drum to the Beat
See what kind of rhythms you can make with just your own body. This can be done with two people or a whole group. Begin by clapping. Clap a slow, steady beat until everyone is clapping in unison. Then clap slowly and quickly. Can you add a pat? Clap, clap, pat...or pat, pat clap. You decide! Drum the floor using two hands ...(read more)
Jingle Gloves
Sew jingle bells on the end of two or three finger of a pair of gloves. Sing one of your child's favorite songs and let them jingle to the beat.(read more)
Kitchen Fork Chimes
Make a wind chime using your old forks and spoons. Begin by drilling a small hole into the end of a few old forks and spoons, then thread fishing line through the hold and tie off the end. Then, give your child a bowl of beads to string onto the fishing wire, decorating the wind chimes. Once your child has finished stringing the beads onto each of ...(read more)
Wrist Bells
Make wrist bells for your child to use as instruments. Choose either elastic or ribbon. Cut a piece of elastic or ribbon that will fit snugly but not too tightly on your child's wrist. String 2-3 bells on it and tie it on your child's wrist. Now he is ready to shake to the beat! (read more)
Water Bottle Egg Shakers
This is a fun way to recycle your used water bottles. Fill an empty plastic water bottle with rice and then glue the lid on securely. This will make for a really fun maraca or egg shaker type of instrument. An alternative is to fill the water bottle with rice and then glue another water bottle to it (mouth to mouth). This creates a rainmaker type of ...(read more)
Marching to Tunes
Pick a song that you can march to. Demonstrate how to march and encourage your child to march with you to the beat of the song. You can march while playing an instrument such as shaking a bell. This activity teaches your child to listen and move to the beat of the song and to play an instrument while marching (if you use an instrument). (read more)
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Savvy Welcomes Jacque Grillo's 10 New Year's Resolutions for Parents
TEN PARENT RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR Resolve that one day each week will be a day without television, videos, computers, and electronics of any sort. Shut the things off. Reclaim your homes. Resist the pressure to become your child's
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