Metal Band

One day, I brought out a sensory bin for Kz to play with. It was colorful and filled with different textures. I included some metal measuring cups for him to scoop the materials. When I placed the bin in front of him, he bypassed all the materials and went straight for the shiny measuring cup. He banged it on the hard floor a few times, looked up, and gave me his toothy, scrunchy-nosed smile.

Ok, Ok. You win. Let's play metal band.

I brought out the pots and pans and turned them upside down on the floor. The large pots made a deep sound when he hit them with the measuring cup. The lids sounded more like bells or cymbals. 

He tried banging the pots with his hands, but it just didn't sound as good. Frustrated, he picked up the lid to see what the problem was. He was greeted by a friendly baby who cheered him up.

Pots can be stepping stones, too.

 This is always a great go-to activity for Kz. It's one handed down from generation to generation and it never gets old. Except maybe for your ears.

 

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Music

 Music is such an important part of our lives. I enjoy singing so I've always hummed lullabies to Kz when putting him to sleep. I sing to him when he's grumpy or when we are feeling silly. It's one of those fool proof ways of grabbing his attention and making him smile. 

 As a preschool teacher, I've learned thousands of children's songs. Knowing so many songs really comes in handy. I can spontaneously break into song over just about anything. It's a gift. Or a curse. I'm not sure which.

Inspired by an amazing teacher I once worked with, I learned to play the guitar. Well, not really. I actually only learned 3 chords and it was like magic. These 3 chords have allowed me to play nearly every children's song I know. Now that I'm home with Kz, I do break out the guitar every once in a while but my repertoire of songs has severely declined. So, we use it for sensory exploration instead. 

 The best new trick Kz does is dance! I love seeing him bop up and down when he hears music. When I'm tired of hearing my own voice, I flip open the computer and let the pros take over. I have accumulated a pretty extensive playlist of children's music. Not all of it is actually intended for children. I think it is important to play all kinds of music. From the Beatles and Bob Marley to Raffi and Laurie Berkner, Kz is getting a lot of exposure to all kinds of tunes.

There is an insane amount of new children's music out there. It's not just "The Wheels on the Bus" and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" anymore. Pandora has endless channels for children. Our current favorite is the Raffi station which today had us movin' and groovin' for nearly an hour.  We really like Laurie Berkner and her more modern take on children's music. There are also some artists that I've had the pleasure of knowing personally like Joanie Leeds and Paul Wolf. I met them while teaching in NYC and love their albums' city flare. Check them out!