We are off to a wonderful start in music class this year! In addition to getting used to the routine of music class, the two-year-olds are working on hearing, identifying, and responding to musical contrasts. A few of the songs we have used to learn sound and silence or start and stop are Spin and Stop, Sandpiper, and Pop Goes the Weasel. We have enjoyed playing instruments and large movement activities with these start and stop songs. Start and stop songs like freeze dances are a great addition to your daily routine. You can help your little one get out energy and then freeze which gives you a great opportunity to redirect them if needed.
I love adding a book we can sing or move along to to class occasionally. So far this year we have enjoyed working on the contrasts of loud and soft with Jump Frog Jump and hunting for colors with the book The Leaves on the Trees.
We are starting to work on songs for Christmas already! The two-year-olds are primarily working on Twinkle Twinkle and Go Tell it on the Mountain but they will continue to enjoy working with all of the songs for the Christmas program. Did you know that the theme for Twinkle Twinkle was originally composed by Mozart? See if you can sing the theme along with all of the different variations!
We end every music class by singing God Is So Good together. You can incorporate this song into your daily routine as a prayer before meals or a lullaby before bedtime.
This site is set up as an ongoing blog post. Everything you see below this point was from a previous year and I will continue to move songs to the top of the post as we learn or are exposed to them in class this year.
The 2 year old class is continuing to work on musical contrasts, following musical cues, singing, instrument play, and large movement this semester.
Two Little Blackbirds is a simple song or chant with many rhyming and contrast possibilities. In our class Jack and Jill were on a hill (our knees), soft and loud were up high on a cloud, and fast and slow hid below our legs. Here is a video of more verse options and an example of chanting and using your talking voice.
There are many versions of the melody for this song. Here is a link to the melody we sing it to in class.
We Are Marching in the Light of God and This Little Light of Mine are songs we will explore in several different ways this semester. They are lovely simple songs to sing together. The lyrics can easily be changed for a fun large movement activity. Simple change march to another activity or “this little light” to “these dancing feet” and enjoy experiencing large movement to the beat. Both of these songs have been recorded in different styles which make them engaging to play instruments along to as well.
Trot Old Joe is one of my favorite start and stop songs. Pretend you are on your horse. We make a horse stop by telling it “Woah!” We get to practice moving fast, slow, galloping, and any other way a horse might move.
Music can help us be excited, move, and play and it can also help us calm down. We end each class with a calm song. Singing calm songs at home can help both adults and children relax and calm down before bed, a nap, or anytime you may need a calm moment.
