After reflecting on Children's books, my mind seems to drift towards music and how fun it can be as well. Growing up I've listened to of course songs from Disney's classic stories or their soundtracks but as well as various favorites like Raffi, Sharon, Lois & Bram & the Wee Sing along books and tapes. It is funny, I was having a conversation with my friend, the same age as I am, and telling her how my son just loves "Baby Beluga" (http://youtu.be/mK1sF6kv0l8) by Raffi and I was stunned to hear that she's never heard of him. If you all out there haven't either, look him up! His songs are so fun, both songs you have never heard before and classics like old macdonald. While working in daycare centers over the years, "Baby Beluga" was also a favorite with kids as well and became a book for children to sing along to.
Growing up, I watched "The Elephant Show" (http://youtu.be/EEEsX69iIxY) which had "Sharon, Lois & Bram", a group of adults, with the help of a costumed elephant, singing silly songs and dancing, including the popular song "skinnamarink"..."I Love you!" Of course another staple in my house growing up were the "Wee Sing" tapes that came with books that had lyrics and some sheet music to play on an instrument that was either included in the set or that you can just use with an instrument you had at home.
It's interesting how over years these staples of mine have almost been forgotten, and were so much fun back then and lately singing and dancing themes like this has almost disappeared behind television and various cartoons or trends that don't even help much with the development of children or for that matter just pure old fashioned fun!
In my last position at a Bright Horizons center, they were part of a partnership of weekly music & movement that would arrive to the center to each classroom. (And yes, even to infants) This exposure really reopened my eyes to the wonderful world of music and well, the arts. There was fingerplay along with songs, there was puppets involved while singing accompanied songs or just sounds like "ba ba..." in a repeatative song, as well as instruments and shakers. After months of this program being used in the infant room, I began to notice the children dancing or swaying a lot more and shaking their shakers to the beat and a few even pointing to a puppet and remembering to make the sound "ba ba". Now, after being away from that very rich project, I'm beginning to see more and more programs like that offered to parents, which is comforting. So I continue to use these tools that I learned through that project, with my son and intend to continue in my future work with children and/or advocate for the use of the music and arts. I strongly believe, and the children are the proof, that music (& movement) really enhances a child's development and every day life, as well as add to their happiness.
The television programs you watched as a child are the same ones, my two youngest ones watched and loved. I agree completely that music and movement should be a part of learning and enjoyment of early childhood education. In my Rose of Sharon Preschool, we will have classical music playing in the background at all times, as well as music and movement periods.Art should also be a part of all childhood education. It can be incorporated in all subject areas. Keep, up the good work!
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