Developmental Tips from Mother Goose on the Loose

• By hearing rhymes, children learn to recognize rhythm and musical patterns
• Rhymes about every day occurrences and familiar animals may spark a child's general interest in the world around her/him
• A great way to promote reading is to read books to your child
• Head and face rhymes encourage awareness of self and capabilities
• Tickle rhyme's are a lot of fun, and promote bonding and trust between parent and child, while developing their senses at the same time!
• Fingerplays can be your child's first learning game which introduces new ideas and concepts.  Your child's intellectual horizons are expanded through a simple song like "Itsy Bitsy Spider" which mentions up and down, and draws a connection between the rain coming down and the sun drying everything up.
• Knee bouncing rhymes can help children to develop an awareness of an underlying beat in music.  This can also be done by rocking and marching.
• Singing games and group music sessions encourage social responsiveness
• Circle songs are fun, they include lots of movement, and they are great for large motor coordination
• By mimicking animal sounds, children become more aware of the sounds around them.  It also promotes the use of voices, and helps to develop self-confidence.
• Singing songs, rhymes and lullabies trigger speech, provide a valuable source of speech patterning, provide pleasure, and give children a sense of security.
• Children can easily learn the concepts of high and low through music
• The use of small percussion instruments helps develop and coordinate muscular development and provides an emotional outlet through music.
• Listening to music helps develop concentration, prevents boredom, and provides for relaxation
• Singing a clean- up song makes cleaning up fun for children, and teaches them what we expect when it is time to put something away.
• Lullabies help babies to remember life in the womb when they were rocked close to mom and could hear her heartbeat.  Lullabies calm children and help them harness their energy so they will be likely to participate in the closing activities.
• Body awareness shows children that any part of the body can start a movement