Singing is a creative activity that can help children develop language and literacy skills essential to their intellectual development and memory. There are many different styles and many different approaches to music. Young children are eager for musical and rhythmic experiences and the following provide a positive resource for adults to use.

Infants: Looby Loo – A parent or child care provider should hold the infant in their lap and act out the song using the baby’s hands, feet, head and then turn them around.
“Here we go Looby Loo. Here we go Looby Light. Here we go Looby Loo. All on a
Saturday day night. You put your right hand in. You take you right hand out. You give
your right hand a shake, shake, shake, and turn yourself about.”
(Then do left hand, right foot, left foot, head, and whole self)

Toddlers: D-A-D-D-Y – This is a piggy back song done to the tune of “Bingo.”
(This is a good song for Father’s Day (Daddy) or Mother’s Day (Mommy)
“There is a person that I love and Daddy is his name oh!
D-A-D-D-Y, D-A-D-D-Y, D-A-D-D-Y, and Daddy is his name oh!”
(Repeat the song 5 more times substituting a clap for each of the letters until you are
only clapping at the end of the song.)

Preschoolers: On Top of Spaghetti Sung to the tune of “On Top of Old Smoky.”

1. On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese.
   I lost my poor meatball, when somebody sneezed. (Pretend to sneeze - “Ah-Cho”)
2. It rolled off the table, and onto the floor,
   And then my poor meatball, rolled out of the door. (Roll hands around each other)
3. It rolled in the garden, and under a bush,
   And then my poor meatball was nothing but mush. (Put hand together and rub)
4. The mush was as tasty, as tasty could be,
   And early next summer, it grew into a tree. (Hold arms up like a tree)
5. The tree was all covered with beautiful moss.
   It grew lovely meatballs and tomato sauce. (Make two fists like balls)
6. So if you eat spaghetti, all covered with cheese.
   Hold on to your meatball, and don’t ever sneeze. (Wave one finger back and forth, no)

Music can create a special closeness and joy to those who experience it together. It can foster language development, muscular coordination, body awareness, rhythmic proficiency, auditory discrimination and self confidence. These are just a few of the benefits that young children can acquire from an early exposure to music.

Music is the essence of order and leads to all that is good, just and beautiful, of which it is the invisible, but nevertheless dazzling, passionate and eternal form. (Plato)