Toy Thursday: Make a Joyful Noise!

Xylophone, drums, tambourine, maracas...it is a battle of the bands here at our house. Judah loves anything to do with music or making music. We sit and drum with wooden spoons all day on mommy's pans. We shake a bottle full of rice. We beat sticks and bang lids. We even play the piano at Grandma's house with the high and low notes. Should we hear music we stop to shake, rattle, and roll.

Judah enjoys music so much that I signed him up for music classes. Once a week we meet kids his age through a program called Kindermusik. We learn about all sorts of rhythmic movement, sounds, and instruments. At home, we reinforce what we learn by listening to songs, playing on instruments, and dancing. Even at church, you will find us worshiping with our maracas.

Music is such an important asset to child development. A child gains skills as a result of music in their life. Music enhances language and reading skills, understanding and reasoning, social networking, and a world full of creativity and diversity that prepares them for life. At the very least, you are instilling a life-long love of music.

This week, inspire your child with music. Perhaps you can practice playing on an instrument. Maybe you could dance to an unfamiliar beat. Or you could discuss music by making an instrument. All these ideas teach us that music is all around us.

• For a homemade kazoo, take a recycled paper towel roll and rubber band wax paper over one end. Put the other end to your mouth and hum a kazoo sound.
• You can easily make a homemade shaker by taking a clear bottle with a tight lid, adding dried beans or rice inside for desired sounds.
• Combine two paper plates together and sew together with yarn through holes. Add some dried rice for a shaker or hang some bells for a tambourine.
• Stainless steel lids make great cymbals clanging together.
  
• Use wooden spoons as rhythm sticks or as drum sticks on different sized containers for added effects.
• Make a stringed instrument by striking rubber bands across a peg board.
  

Have fun making a joyful noise!