We have a valuable tip for those of you looking for new ideas to deal with fussy little ones: Sing!
Changing the words to a few simple songs can make stressful times of day, like transitions, easier for your family. We call these “Diaper Bag Songs” because you can pull them out at any moment.
Maybe your child doesn’t want to get dressed, get in the car, or take a bath. Singing songs with your own words that narrate the action can shift the tension and stress wrapped up in these moments in a way language cannot. You’ll see the power of song the minute you sing, “Scrub, scrub, scrub your ears…” instead of yelling “hold still!” Music can have a magical effect.
Try some of these ideas for new words to familiar songs:
- Help ease the stress of bath time. Try singing a bath time version of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” with “Wash, wash, wash your hair,” “Splash, splash, splash around,” “Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, glub, glub, glub, glub, glub.”
- Help motivate your child to get dressed. Change the words to the iconic Music Together “Hello Song” (available on the Music Together app): “Hello to your socks, let’s put ’em on you! Hello to your shoes, so glad to see you!”
- Help your family get out the door. Make up your own version of the Music Together classic “Ridin’ in the Car” (available on the Music Together app!). Try singing, “Walk, walk, walkin’ to the car, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp, stomp . . . Let’s go to the park!” and then “Sit, sit, sittin’ in your seat, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go . . .We’re goin’ out to eat.”
- Help motivate your child to eat the foods you want him to eat. Try your own version of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” with “Yummy, yummy, little peas, I like to eat my yummy peas” or “Yum, yum, yum, yum, carrots and beans; yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy, carrots and beans….”
- Help narrate your child’s day. Music can help you prepare your child for what is coming up or summarize what happened during the day. Try changing the words to “She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain” to “We’ll be gettin’ in the car later on…,” or “First we’ll buy some groceries at the store…”, or “Today we went to Shelly’s house to play…” or “Then we did some swinging in the park…”
If you are enrolled in Music Together, check out your songbook or log in to the Family Music Zone® for more ideas—and share them with us on Facebook or DM us on Instagram @musictogetherworldwide!