Making up silly songs to go with daily tasks can help motivate young children to cooperate.

Did you know?

Making up your own words to go with a familiar tune can be a great way to sing about what you want your child to do or to remind them of the steps in a task

e.g. “wash our dirty hands, wash our dirty hands, wash the backs and wash the fronts, wash between the fingers, rinse and dry!”

Add language

Sing about what you are doing or where you are going – this can be a fun way to learn new vocabulary. You can create your own “Bath Time Opera” or “Pack Away Time the Musical” where you each take turns to sing everything you do or ask each other questions in song.

You can make up silly songs that reinforce contrasts e.g. “shake them, shake them, shake them high, shake them low, shake them gently, shake them roughly, shake them to the left, shake them to the right”.

Other development

Singing songs or using rhymes can help gain children’s attention and transition between activities e.g. “tick tock tick tock, listen to my little clock, tick tock tick tock, now it’s time to Stop!”

Songs and rhymes matched to movements and actions can reinforce motor skills e.g. “stomp, stomp, stomp” like a big elephant to the bathroom for a shower or “tip toe, tip toe” like a little mouse to bed.

Variations

Children’s CDs with lots of songs that have hand actions are great for active children on long car trips.

Across the ages

All the activities listed on our “Play Ideas” page can be applied across different age groups. See how songs can be fun for babies, toddlers and playgroups.

 

Activities listed under “child” are suitable for children 3 years and older.  Children of this age enjoy more complex activities where they can develop their skills and use their imagination while playing with friends.