Sing like nobody is watching!

Leeanne A - Kreative Resources

One of the most enjoyable times to sing in my toddler classroom is during a transition time – just before lunch. We are usually sitting at the table waiting for the kitchen lady to deliver our food, so we may have a good 5 to 10 minutes to sing together. The songs we usually sing are the common ones we already know and enjoy. The children select the songs as we go along. They usually pick the ones that are deemed fun, based on their actions and the level of excitement they evoke. Some of the children may join in with great enthusiasm and some may simply observe, listen and then join in when they are comfortable. Many are confident enough to sing and do the actions involved in singing the songs. They imitate one another in the manner they deem correct for the song being sung. There are usually smiles all around and each child stays involved at some level.

I always feel that the times we sing together go very well, as none of the children remove themselves from the situation, nor do they fuss or complain about sitting and waiting until we get through our repertory. In fact many of the songs we sing a number of times, based on the requests of the children. I saw children who usually sit back and observe try out some of the songs and do some of the actions. So the more we engage in singing together the more confident some will be in joining in. Even if some don’t sing the entire song they may simply try out some of the words and make some of the sounds, which is a great stepping stone to language and literacy. This is such a great time to socialize and to make us all feel good as we continue through our day.

So sing like nobody is watching!

Songs we like to sing!