When my girls were little I was always singing songs and saying rhymes with them. Usually it was in the car when I knew they were a captive audience.
Maci and Natia probably got sick of my non-stop word play, but they always seemed to be up for it.
By the time they went to Kindergarten their phonemic awareness skills, or the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the sounds in spoken words, were rockin’ because of the hours they spent singing and rhyming with me.
They also had a huge bank of words in their head that were woven together through, you guessed it, songs and rhymes!
Although there has been a lot of debate about what “ready to read” means, the science of reading states that children become fluent readers when they are explicitly taught phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension.
Turns out the songs and rhymes we were having so much fun with were not only bonding us, they were naturally laying the foundation for what would be one of the most difficult skills they would need to master in order to be successful in school and life!
Songs and nursery rhymes are filled with (but not limited to)….
1.Rich Vocabulary – The words the girls were exposed to in these songs and rhymes were vast and vibrant!
They went beyond the vocabulary they were hearing at home which only expanded their word bank.
How often do you say “pizza, pickle, pumpernickel” in the same sentence?!? Yet, those were they lyrics in one of the girls’ favorite tickle games.Learn it here.
2. Sentence Structure – Yep, noun, verb, adjective…they are all there in predictable places and children get to hear that structure over and over and over.
3. Syllables – The rhythm of a song often reflects the syllables of the lyrics. Syllables are sometimes referred to as the “beats” of spoken language and they break the word into chunks which help children sound them out. Many songs even change pitches within the word to make it even more obvious they are separate. Therefore, when a teacher introduces the concept of syllables in Kindergarten or First Grade, children who have been exposed to music will naturally hear the syllables.
4. Rhyming – Last, but surely not least, rhyming! Songs and well, rhymes are filled with words that have similar-sounding final syllables. When children hear enough of them, they begin to produce their own rhymes which shows their ability to manipulate language – a key skill in learning to read.
Children Need More Music!
What’s sad is the amount of children who come to school with very few songs and nursery rhymes in their heads!
That is why it is so important for educators to fill children up with songs and rhymes ASAP! But let’s face it, “Twinkle, Twinkle” can only be sung so many times.
If you are ready to add some new songs and rhymes to get your little ones ready to read then Check out “A Year of Music” and you’ll have a new song to share every month of the year!
There are many unique learning benefits to having children learn together in a group setting.
It may seem like a simple daily ritual within the classroom, but when you look closer, there is so much learning happening just beneath the surface. No matter what you call it (circle time, morning meeting, ect.) this gathering is extremely valuable for the development and education of your children.
The 5 benefits we will explore in this post are community building, social skills, emotional skills, physical development, and language development. Read on to find out how circle time can aid your students’ development in these crucial areas
1. Community Building
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “community”? Is it your town and the people in it?
Maybe it’s a group of people you know from a social or volunteer group. Often times when people come together for a shared cause, there is a sense of belonging and connection.
Our preschoolers experience the same thing when they are in circle time. Circle time allows our class to come together for a shared experience.
The act of coming together will help them to build a sense of community and belonging in the classroom.
2. Social Skills
Circle time offers a great opportunity for students to practice their social skills and social competencies.
Social competencies refer to skills like self-regulation, interpersonal knowledge, and self-identity. During circle time, children see others practicing these skills, or maybe even struggling with these skills.
Seeing and understanding the experiences of others will help them develop the social skills that will be vital to forming healthy relationships with others and with themselves later in life.
3. Emotional Skills
With the social aspect of circle time comes the emotional aspect. Interacting and collaborating with other as a group will bring about new feelings that children can learn to address and understand during circle time.
One great example of this is when passing an item around the circle for each student to hold for a little while before passing it to the next student. Students will feel excited when they see this object, and may reach and try to take it right away.
However, they begin to develop impulse control and learn to wait their turn. They get to see others playing and enjoying the item, helping them develop empathy. Then when they have had their turn and it is time to pass the item to the next student, they begin to understand that it is ok for things to come to an end and sometimes it is time to move on, even if we wish it would last just a bit longer.
Learning these skills early in childhood sets your preschoolers up for success as they grow and continue in their education.
4. Physical Development
While dancing and movement activities during circle time may just look like play time, it is truly play with a purpose. Children are more willing than adults to try new things, so it is the perfect time to introduce them to new movements.
Physical activity during circle time promotes healthy growth and development, a healthy body composition, a the development of motor, concentration, and cognitive skills. The mind and body are one, so when students are given a chance to move their bodies and practice physical skills like balance and body awareness, they come back to circle time ready to sit and listen.
A great trick to use in circle time is after having your students sit for a listening activity, offer them a chance to stand and move with a movement activity. This will keep them engaged and eager to see what will happen next in circle time.
5. Language Development
During circle time, students are gaining exposure to vocabulary, speech, rhyming patterns, and sentence structure. All of this valuable information is preparing them to be readers later in life. Songs are a great way to practice these things, as a familiar tune might be just the thing that helps your students feel confident enough to try singing or speaking with you.
Communication skills are so valuable, and our children are able to practice them when they themselves talk. It may feel like an interruption when your children start talking during circle time. However, when they talk about something related to the activity, they are forming connections between this experience and their own world. The other children in the circle are also able to learn more about the student who is talking, helping them build community. If you feel like your circle time is getting off track because all your students want to share their thoughts, try using something like a talking stick to keep everyone focused and listening respectfully.
The learning opportunities created by circle time and group music making are like no other within the classroom. We know facilitating an engaging circle time can be challenging, especially when children all have their own unique needs and interests that need to be addressed.
That’s why we here at Musically Minded strive to create activities that will keep your whole class engaged and excited about learning.
We even include full activity guides with each of our downloads so you know exactly how to use each activity. Visit our store and check them out! Music adds such a unique element to your circle time. When participating in music, there is no wrong answer, so students are free to explore and engage in any way they like. We would love to hear which activities have been most popular with your students, and how circle time has changed the way your students learn!
Don’t Forget the Music!
All great teachers know that fresh ideas aren’t just great for kids, they get teachers excited too! If you don’t have Musically Minded’s Circle Time Success CD, it’s time to grab your copy today!
You might also want to check out the activity guide book for the Circle Time Success. That’s where you’ll find the step by step directions on how to teach all the songs on the Circle Time Success Album.
“I can’t get my kids to sit still at circle time!” If I had a nickel for every time a teacher told me they struggled with this, I’d be rich!
Do you want to know the reason why kids can’t sit at circle? Kids need to move! It makes the brain function at its best. In classrooms today, we are seeing an increase in seat time and a decrease in free time. The result? Children who dislike school, feel stressed out and anxious and aren’t excited about learning.
Gretchen LeFever Watson, a clinical psychologist at Eastern Virginia Medical School found that ADHD is over-diagnosed. Experts estimate that 5% is a realistic upper limit of children with the disorder, but in many areas of the country, up to 33% of white boys are diagnosed with ADHD. Check out the study to learn more.
I wager to guess the demand on children to sit and be quiet in school has a lot to do with it. Behavior is communication and I believe they are crying out to move! So why not use movement as a way to learn? Let me tell you why you should not just consider it, but give it a try today.
3 Reasons why kids need to move to learn.
Movement is a Primal Need
It wasn’t long ago that our ancestors were nomadic. Meaning, they walked up to 14 miles a day in search of food and shelter. Now children sit much of their day! Evolution has not caught up to this sedentary lifestyle.
John Medina, author of Brain Rules says, “if you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you would probably design something like a classroom”
2. Movement Locks in Learning
Why? Because it activates so many parts of the brain. We form a more robust memory when we learn this way. Would you rather teach something to children 55 times using our traditional method of teaching, also known as skill and drill? Or teach them the same concept 5 times before they understand it? I thought so!
3. Movement Feeds the Brain
When the brain is asked to focus for long periods of time without being fed, it throws a fit. In young children, this means grabbing books off the shelf during story time, dog piling a neighbor or in some cases, straight up walking away.
Because our brain does not store energy, it must be fed to keep going. Guess what it likes to eat? Oxygen-rich blood!
This can be achieved through a variety of ways such as telling an emotionally-charged story that recaptures attention, or by getting the students up and moving their bodies.
By recognizing that your learners need to refocus, refresh and recharge often, you’ll be more likely to create activities where children stay engaged from beginning to end.
By getting children up and moving every 10 minutes (let’s be honest, every 3-4 minutes is more realistic), they will be reenergized as oxygen-rich blood is sent to feed their brains.
Click hereto check out “Move, Move, Move!” Infused with songs to get kids up and on their feet, it is a perfect mix of actions songs to add to your circle times.
Do you want 7 Secrets for Circle Time? Fill out the form below, and you’ll be on your way from chaos to calm in no time!
As a music teacher, most of the time I spend with children is at circle time. This means we do a lot of sitting – but not too much, because that’s not good either! Because I am often on the carpet with children, when I heard about the dangers of “w” sitting, it got my attention. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, it’s most likely because you didn’t know it had a name. Simply put, it is when a child has one leg on each side of their body in the shape of a “w”.
Now that I am familiar with the long-term effects of sitting this way, it is something I think about all the time and correct children every chance I get. Check out my video below to learn reasons why children “w” sit, the dangers of “w” sit, and a simple way to change the habit with a song.
After you’ve watched the video, If you are interested in learning even more about “W” sitting, check out a great article that gives a variety of alternatives to “w” sitting as well as a really cool infographic just below the video in this post. Then share your new-found knowledge with teachers and parents!
Not a video watcher? No problem! Here are the highlights….
3 Reasons Why Children “w” sit
Structural Abnormalities of the Hip – If a child’s head and neck of the femur is rotated anterior to the femur, the child is more likely to walk pigeon toed, toes pointing in, as well as “w” sit.
Poor Balance or Core Weakness – When children lack core strength and balance, “w” sitting can offer them a strong foundation on which to sit.
Habit – When learning to crawl, “w” sit offers a quick way to transition to sitting up without moving the legs out front. When children realize this form of sitting takes less effort, it can quickly become their go-to position.
3 Reasons Why “W” Sit is Dangerous
Stress on Joints – “W” sitting can actually put undo stress on the joints and muscles. For children who have hip dysplasia, it can predispose them to hip dislocation.
Decreased Mobility – When children are “w” sitting, playing with toys directly in front of them is no problem. But, reaching from side to side or transition items from their left to right hand, is more difficult so they don’t do it. Therefore, they don’t practice these much needed skills.
Decreased Core Strength – Because “w” sitting does not take the same core strength as sitting on their bottom with legs out straight or even in criss cross, children lose the opportunity to work on strengthening their core.
How to Break the Habit of “w” sitting with a song!
We all know songs are a great way for everyone to learn new information. They can also be an effective way to create a new habit. If children in your class are habitually “w” sitting, try this little tune below every time you move into a sitting position. Click here to hear the tune! If you’d rather chant the words, that works too!
As a music teacher, most of the time I spend with children is at circle time. This means we do a lot of sitting – but not too much, because that’s not good either! Because I am often on the carpet with children, when I heard about the dangers of “w” sitting, it got my attention. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, it’s most likely because you didn’t know it had a name. Simply put, it is when a child has one leg on each side of their body in the shape of a “w”.
Now that I am familiar with the long-term effects of sitting this way, it is something I think about all the time and correct children every chance I get. Check out my video below to learn reasons why children “w” sit, the dangers of “w” sit, and a simple way to change the habit with a song.
After you’ve watched the video, If you are interested in learning even more about “W” sitting, check out a great article that gives a variety of alternatives to “w” sitting as well as a really cool infographic just below the video in this post. Then share your new-found knowledge with teachers and parents!
Not a video watcher? No problem! Here are the highlights….
3 Reasons Why Children “w” sit
Structural Abnormalities of the Hip – If a child’s head and neck of the femur is rotated anterior to the femur, the child is more likely to walk pigeon toed, toes pointing in, as well as “w” sit.
Poor Balance or Core Weakness – When children lack core strength and balance, “w” sitting can offer them a strong foundation on which to sit.
Habit – When learning to crawl, “w” sit offers a quick way to transition to sitting up without moving the legs out front. When children realize this form of sitting takes less effort, it can quickly become their go-to position.
3 Reasons Why “W” Sit is Dangerous
Stress on Joints – “W” sitting can actually put undo stress on the joints and muscles. For children who have hip dysplasia, it can predispose them to hip dislocation.
Decreased Mobility – When children are “w” sitting, playing with toys directly in front of them is no problem. But, reaching from side to side or transition items from their left to right hand, is more difficult so they don’t do it. Therefore, they don’t practice these much needed skills.
Decreased Core Strength – Because “w” sitting does not take the same core strength as sitting on their bottom with legs out straight or even in criss cross, children lose the opportunity to work on strengthening their core.
How to Break the Habit of “w” sitting with a song!
We all know songs are a great way for everyone to learn new information. They can also be an effective way to create a new habit. If children in your class are habitually “w” sitting, try this little tune below every time you move into a sitting position. Click here to hear the tune! If you’d rather chant the words, that works too!
