Making music every day

Raising little people is a big responsibility that we take seriously as parents. If you’re like me, even before your first child was born you were madly gathering information about how to give them the best possible start in life…

Back then, that meant reading books and asking parents who had walked the path ahead of me.

These days the information sources are endless and constant… websites, social media channels, podcasts, blogs as well as the more traditional books and pamphlets given out at Maternal & Child Health Nurse visits and doctors surgeries. There are so many voices to listen to and so many decisions to make about what is right for you, your child and your whole family.

But even when you have made a decision about what you’d LIKE to do, it isn’t always easy to stick to the plan!

Chances are you’ve heard about all the benefits of sharing musical moments with your baby - to their brain development AND to your relationship together. And you’ve probably heard the saying ‘early and often’ when it comes to most things related to child development meaning that your child will benefit most if they are engaged in music-making from the earliest of ages and regularly…

Now, some of you will sing and dance your way through each day with your baby - music is in your body and in your soul and it’s impossible to switch it off. While for others this music-making thing will NOT come naturally. But even the most musical parent will sometimes fall into bed at night exhausted and realise that their little one missed out on the joy of music that day.

No matter where you sit on the musical continuum, it can help to attach music-making to your everyday routines. Before you know it, you’ll have created some new (and joyful) habits…

Here are three ways to make music EVERY day with your baby:

1. Nappy change time

Choose a ‘tickle’ and say it each time you change your baby’s nappy (or use the potty if you’re going nappy-free). Stick with a favourite for a few weeks before switching to a new one.

These are baby’s* fingers
These are baby’s toes
This is baby’s belly button
Round and round it goes

*substitute your child’s name here to increase the intimacy even more

Find some more favourite wiggles in this blog post.

2. Bath time

Choose a simple song and sing it each time you give your baby a bath. It might relate to a bath toy (like this one about an aeroplane), or it might be about water (Rain, rain or Pitter, patter) or it could just be one of YOUR favourite songs… Again, repeat the same song for a few weeks in a row before choosing a new one - your budding musician will love the repetition!

Up in the air we fly
Zoom zoom a-zoom-a zoom zoom
Up in the clear blue sky
Zoom zoom a-zoom-a zoom zoom
Zoom zoom
Zoom zoom a-zoom zoom-a zoom-a zoom-a zoom
Zoom zoom
Zoom zoom-a zoom zoom

3. Bed-time

Chances are you already have a solid bed-time routine that includes music. The wisdom of lullabies has been passed down from generation to generation. But did you know that your baby will respond best when you use your own singing voice rather than recordings? Singing live means that you can match them just where they are… perhaps slowing down as you feel their body begin to relax, maybe taking the words out and changing to a hum when you think they are just about ready to drop off to sleep.

Jabbin jabbin kirroo ka gla
Kurra kurra kirroo ka
Jabbin jabbin kirroo ka

Roughly translated as...

All the birds are calling, Rise!
Rise! Open your sleepy eyes
All the birds are calling, Rise!

Try this lullaby from the Gunggari people of Southern Queensland or find lots more on The Lullaby Source.

How will YOU turn music-making into part of your everyday routine? Maybe you’ll incorporate a dance on the way to your feeding chair (Down in the valley two-by-two) or a tapping song (Cobbler cobbler) when you’re buckling into the car seat or even a little rhyme each time you arrive home (Home again, home again, jiggedy jig). Find what works for your routine and start small and before you know it you’ll be going to bed each day knowing that your baby’s day was FULL of music!