My 7-month-old has only been eating solids for a short time now, but I have witnessed how long feeding sessions can take! Even with his small meals, he finds plenty to be distracted by and I am often trying to refocus his attention onto the task at hand. I have found myself using many of the songs or rhymes about food I know while using his spoon as a baton swaying back and forth while singing. Here are a few of my favorites to try:
Apples & Bananas
I like to eat,
I like to eat,
I like to eat, eat, apples and banana.
I like to eat,
I like to eat,
I like to eat, eat, apples and banana.
**For variation, change all the vowel sounds to a, then e, I, o, and u.
Click here for the entire activity page which includes lyrics for the remaining songs.
Pease Porridge
Shortnin' Bread
Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley Grow
Waiting in lines can be one of a mother's worst nightmares when she has fidgety children with her. Try singing to help pass the time. Songs with multiple verses work really great or those in which new verses can be created. Animal and number songs provide an educational opportunity as well to work on animal sounds and counting. Here are my two of my favorite waiting songs:
Old MacDonald
Old MacDonald had a farm,
E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a pig,
E-I-E-I-O.
With an oink, oink here,
and an oink, oink there.
Here an oink, there an oink,
everywhere an oink, oink.
Old MacDonald had a farm,
E-I-E-I-O.
Other verses: horse-neigh, cow-moo, dog-woof, cat-meow, duck-quack, etc.
This Old Man
This old man, he played one,
He played knick-knack on my thumb;
With a knick-knack, paddywhack,
Give a dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.
Click here to download the remaining lyrics and the entire lesson
Here is a fun activity for a warm sunny day. Sing while making this sweet refreshing treat!
Sunshine Pops
You Are My Sunshine
You are my sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are gray.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away
The other night, dear,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamt I held you in my arms.
But when I woke, dear,
I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried.
Download You Are My Sunshine
Bath time is a favorite ritual for many children at nighttime. During the summer, baths help children wind down after an active day and of course, remove the many layers of dirt. Making music by singing or rhyming together during baths is one way you can enhance this special time with your child. Here are some traditional poems and rhymes with bath time themes to try with your child this summer--the only props you need are probably already in your tub!
