Add Some Music to Your Summer!

Hello Summer! As the temperature rises and the days get longer, we are spending more and more time outdoors. In our family, it is our favorite time of year, as our work obligations demand less of our time and we get to spend even more time together making music. It is a pretty regular occurrence for us to sit on the back porch (or the even the front) with a guitar and a drum and recreate our own version of the partridge family (though my one year old isn’t quite a cowbell enthusiast as of yet). As a family, we make music together. It’s just our thing.

Now I realize that not all families are in a position to make music together, and many families may not even be COMFORTABLE making music together, but without music, our children are missing a very valuable play skill!  So allow me to introduce to you a few ways that you and your family can make music together regardless of your skill!

1. Sing: You don’t need an instrument, though your voice does count. For most children, singing “in tune” is a natural occurrence, and though you may feel that you can’t carry a tune, your children do NOT know the difference (especially the babies, who love your voice because it is YOURS!).
2. Listen: Listen to music together, play it over the speakers and boogie with the best of them in your backyard (or front yard).  For some ideas, check out this blog post for some fun summer tunes!
3. Play: Make a musical instrument that is fun for the whole family!  Here are a few ideas from around the web:
• Colored Water Xylophone
• Fancy Egg Shakers
• Ocean Drum
• Rainstick

Take this summer to explore music making, enjoying being a family and have FUN!

Meryl Brown MM, MT-BC, DT is the owner and lead therapist of Developing Melodies, a private music business located in Bloomington, IL offering Music Therapy Services, Music Lessons and Tiny Melodies: an Early Childhood Music Experience. She can be found online at www.DevelopingMelodies.com.