Learning through Music

We have always played music for the kids. When Sophie was a baby we started to play classical music for her. We had a bunch of Baby Enstein CD's and would play them at times. We moved onto other types of kid music. We ended up listening to Thomas the Tank Engine music because Sophie was so thrilled with Thomas. We also listened to a lot of Children's Favorite Songs which is 4 cd's put out by Disney Records. They had a lot of great classic songs that every kids should know. We also listen to some standard kids fare that we find at the library (We use the library's extensive music selection a lot!) such as The Wiggles and Laurie Bernker.

We still listen to classical music but we have moved past the baby enstein music and other lullabys. We play the London philharmonic orchestra or some other famous orchestra play the pieces and the kids dance around the living room.



A few great internet finds for music:

Kiddie Records Weekly is a site where someone has gathered some of the great stories and shows from around the 40's and 50's. Taken the old records and digitized them. My mom recognised a few from when she was a kid, including her favorite Rusty in Orchestraville. Sophie loves listening to all these old stories. I burn them on a CD and she plays them in her room as she is building houses out of blocks for her little plastic animals.



Singing Science Records is another site that has taken some old records and digitized them. These are so fun! And I know they have really sparked interest in different types of science. Ian loves the space ones. I thought Soph would like the nature ones but actually she loves the songs on the experiments CD the most. We listen to all of them.

We also listen to some great LDS children's music as well. Scriptures Scouts are some of our all time favorites. We now own all 5 sets and my kids can't decide which is their favorite. I know these CD's have taught my kids a lot about the scripture stories and some basic gospel principles. We sing along with these as we drive around in the car. Each Sunday Sophie sings an Article of Faith for the bishop so she can earn her piece of candy.

Even little Henry learns from listening to music. We had a CD playing recently. One that I had just picked out of the CD shelf at the library. I wasn't paying too much attention to it as it was playing. Henry got all excited and started waving his arms around and I finally realized that he was doing the arm movements that he had learned at library story time. Henry was actually listening to the music and made the connection between what he had hearn and something he had already learned. I don't know why this was so shocking to me. He just isn't the type of kid I would have expected that from. Most of the time we don't even make through story time.

Our stereos sure get a work out! They are almost always on. But it is nice to know that they are learning as they are listening.