Choose a place outside where children can sing with full-size voices, without upsetting anyone. Let them sing songs they know, as loudly as they want. Then invite them to clap hands, stamp feet or play rhythm instruments loudly. Ask, "What did you do to make those loud sounds?"
Ask the children to use their voices, hands, feet or instruments to make the softest sounds they can. Invite them to talk about what they did to produce the quiet sounds. Call-and-response activities are fun. Children can stand in two lines facing each other a few yards apart, using songs or chants such as "Did You Feed My Cow?", One side will be the callers, and the other side will respond. The caller varies the loudness and the children have to respond immediately; or the responders do just the opposite of the caller: "This time, the caller whisper, and the other side can shout." It gets more exciting if the responding side has to react without ‘warning’!
Posture Play
Have your youngster take on his or her most beautiful posture. If this perfect posture changes, ask the child to stand up (careful, the instrument!) and run/hop/crawl to the other side of the room and back. Then try, try again.
Variation: Help your child find the correct position then turn your back. With your back still turned say things like, "I wonder if he has his fingers round and wrist flat (left foot on the footstool-guitar; left arm up-violin, etc.)? I wonder if his or her back is straight. I wonder if he or she is covering the finger mark." When you turn around to see what they have done, be lavish with your praise for every small thing done correctly.
Sing it for Me Again, Sam!
Here's a game you can play to help your child develop a good 'ear' for sounds. Sing one long note and have your child imitate you. Then he or she should try and match that same sound with the same note on the instrument. The middle C section--three to four notes below and about six to eight notes above—is where the human voice is most comfortable singing. When he or she gets good at finding one note, have him or her try two notes in a row, then three, then a complete phrase you (or your child) make/-s up yourself. In time, the child will be able to play melodies just by hearing them! (This is called 'Ear Training'.)
Delightful Thumb Award
Lots of instrumentalists have difficulty keeping their thumbs in the right place. On the piano, the thumb is often unfortunately far away from the keyboard, flying around in space or propping itself up on the front part of the instrument; or on the cello, the thumb leaves the neck. This is really a no-no in both cases.
Reminding doesn't seem to help much, so I make little signs for the kids to place on their music stands. Sometimes I paste on a crazy sticker with moving eyes. This makes quite an impression!
I've even been known to mark a thumb spot on the cello with felt, or on the piano with a sticker. The thumb must stay above the sticker so it (the sticker) can't be seen.
I rave and praise when the child keeps the thumb in the right place ("Catch them doing something right!"). Once the thumb remains dependably where it should be, I present the child with a ‘Delightful Thumb Award’ which can be a tiny prize or a certificate, or both.
Thumb Monsters
Education trade fairs (didacta) are my favourites. I always come across toys and gimmicks to use for lessons! I stumbled on some little thumbs puppets in monster form. They are quite silly and the kids love them.
I put the monster crew on top of the piano and have the little fellows watch out for the crazy thumbs. Each monster gets its own piece to watch out for. The child is quite intent on keeping his or her thumbs over the keys.
At the end of the piece, the ‘monster-in-charge’ marches off, looking for another child with 'dreadful thumbs'. This child doesn't need them at all!
String Push-Ups: When playing string instruments, many small children don't have enough muscle strength in their left hand fingers to make a clear note. Have your child press his or her finger until the nail goes white, while you gently pluck the string. Mostly, you just hear a ‘plup’ and no clear sound. The goal is to produce a tone that is clear and sounds about two seconds.
Some children grumble that this is uncomfortable. When this happens, have them shake their hands out, and then only practice putting the finger down for the length of time it takes to count to three fairly quickly. Gradually increase the time the finger is down until the child can hold it down for 10 counts comfortably during the practice at home. Marvel at the increased ‘push’ time and the lovely clear sounds your child is progressively making. This is really tough, folks!
Tap the weak finger with your Magic Wand (pencil/ ruler) while saying something like: 'ABRACADABRA Ms X becomes very STRONG!'. Your child's fantasy does the rest. This kind of activity helps take the ‘blame’ off the kid. It is not the child having a challenge; it is Ms. X who is not feeling strong today.
I give my students 'clickers' (for lack of a better name). Those are the small plastic toys with a thin metal sheet to press down. Pressing produces a clicking sound. Have your child keep his or her finger round and strong while pressing. Soon each finger gets stronger.
You can also use a small bean bag or therapeutic sand bag for the hands. Make sure the fingers stay stabile and rounded.
Try to stop an activity before a child shows signs of fatigue. Change to a musical game of some sort.
Ask the children to use their voices, hands, feet or instruments to make the softest sounds they can. Invite them to talk about what they did to produce the quiet sounds. Call-and-response activities are fun. Children can stand in two lines facing each other a few yards apart, using songs or chants such as "Did You Feed My Cow?", One side will be the callers, and the other side will respond. The caller varies the loudness and the children have to respond immediately; or the responders do just the opposite of the caller: "This time, the caller whisper, and the other side can shout." It gets more exciting if the responding side has to react without ‘warning’!
Posture Play
Have your youngster take on his or her most beautiful posture. If this perfect posture changes, ask the child to stand up (careful, the instrument!) and run/hop/crawl to the other side of the room and back. Then try, try again.
Variation: Help your child find the correct position then turn your back. With your back still turned say things like, "I wonder if he has his fingers round and wrist flat (left foot on the footstool-guitar; left arm up-violin, etc.)? I wonder if his or her back is straight. I wonder if he or she is covering the finger mark." When you turn around to see what they have done, be lavish with your praise for every small thing done correctly.
Sing it for Me Again, Sam!
Here's a game you can play to help your child develop a good 'ear' for sounds. Sing one long note and have your child imitate you. Then he or she should try and match that same sound with the same note on the instrument. The middle C section--three to four notes below and about six to eight notes above—is where the human voice is most comfortable singing. When he or she gets good at finding one note, have him or her try two notes in a row, then three, then a complete phrase you (or your child) make/-s up yourself. In time, the child will be able to play melodies just by hearing them! (This is called 'Ear Training'.)
Delightful Thumb Award
Lots of instrumentalists have difficulty keeping their thumbs in the right place. On the piano, the thumb is often unfortunately far away from the keyboard, flying around in space or propping itself up on the front part of the instrument; or on the cello, the thumb leaves the neck. This is really a no-no in both cases.
Reminding doesn't seem to help much, so I make little signs for the kids to place on their music stands. Sometimes I paste on a crazy sticker with moving eyes. This makes quite an impression!
I've even been known to mark a thumb spot on the cello with felt, or on the piano with a sticker. The thumb must stay above the sticker so it (the sticker) can't be seen.
I rave and praise when the child keeps the thumb in the right place ("Catch them doing something right!"). Once the thumb remains dependably where it should be, I present the child with a ‘Delightful Thumb Award’ which can be a tiny prize or a certificate, or both.
Thumb Monsters
Education trade fairs (didacta) are my favourites. I always come across toys and gimmicks to use for lessons! I stumbled on some little thumbs puppets in monster form. They are quite silly and the kids love them.
I put the monster crew on top of the piano and have the little fellows watch out for the crazy thumbs. Each monster gets its own piece to watch out for. The child is quite intent on keeping his or her thumbs over the keys.
At the end of the piece, the ‘monster-in-charge’ marches off, looking for another child with 'dreadful thumbs'. This child doesn't need them at all!
String Push-Ups: When playing string instruments, many small children don't have enough muscle strength in their left hand fingers to make a clear note. Have your child press his or her finger until the nail goes white, while you gently pluck the string. Mostly, you just hear a ‘plup’ and no clear sound. The goal is to produce a tone that is clear and sounds about two seconds.
Some children grumble that this is uncomfortable. When this happens, have them shake their hands out, and then only practice putting the finger down for the length of time it takes to count to three fairly quickly. Gradually increase the time the finger is down until the child can hold it down for 10 counts comfortably during the practice at home. Marvel at the increased ‘push’ time and the lovely clear sounds your child is progressively making. This is really tough, folks!
Tap the weak finger with your Magic Wand (pencil/ ruler) while saying something like: 'ABRACADABRA Ms X becomes very STRONG!'. Your child's fantasy does the rest. This kind of activity helps take the ‘blame’ off the kid. It is not the child having a challenge; it is Ms. X who is not feeling strong today.
I give my students 'clickers' (for lack of a better name). Those are the small plastic toys with a thin metal sheet to press down. Pressing produces a clicking sound. Have your child keep his or her finger round and strong while pressing. Soon each finger gets stronger.
You can also use a small bean bag or therapeutic sand bag for the hands. Make sure the fingers stay stabile and rounded.
Try to stop an activity before a child shows signs of fatigue. Change to a musical game of some sort.
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