The Easiest Resolution for Parents in the New Year

The Easiest Resolution for Parents in the New Year

As the New Year approaches, there can be a lot of pressure on parents to set intentions for the year ahead: eat more meals together, spend less time watching TV, find a solution for the ever-growing mountains of toys spread about the house… the list is endless, and the pressure can overwhelm us to the point that we throw out our intentions altogether and just try to make it to bedtime. We’d like to suggest a different kind of intention, one that can fit easily into your day while bringing fun, movement, and learning to your family: MUSIC.

With music, the possibilities are endless! Read below for our top 5 ways your family can embrace music in 2020.

  1. In the background: Are you ever in a restaurant and find yourself bopping along to the music playing in the background? Your spontaneous bopping is a subconscious response to the beat and rhythm of the music you have experienced throughout life. Put on music in the car, or while your kids are playing, to offer them those same skills.

  2. Sing your routine: Rather than changing your routine to fit the music, make music fit your routine! Just like children know what to do when they hear the cleanup song, they can associate other songs with tasks to help them learn routines. Singing also helps the parent stay calm, so maybe everybody can enjoy teeth-brushing time a little bit more. You can change the words to any song, but we find “Sandy Land” from our YellowRound collection to work particularly well.

  3. Turn everyday objects into instruments: Turning everyday objects into instruments is very simple, and a great solution for children ‘bored’ with their toys. Next time you’re preparing a meal, set out some extra mixing bowls and spoons – voilà, a drum set! Frisbees and buckets also make great drums. Or, find a container and put something small (but no choking hazards, please!) inside to make your own shaker. When you introduce ‘alternative’ uses for household items, you activate your child’s imagination. They’ll probably come up with their own instruments pretty soon! These activities are great to do with your children or as independent play.

  4. Dance party: Put on your favorite music and dance! Even if your child doesn’t want to join right away, by watching you they learn it’s okay to be silly and that dancing is a way to enjoy movement with the whole body. Grab a partner (stuffed animals are good, too!) and show your children how music creates connection.

  5. Music and movement: Chances are that your child has lots of toys that move – balls, cars, trucks, and more. Next time your child takes them out to play, put on some music and join them! You can bounce the ball to the beat, roll it back and forth to each other, make the cars drive faster for upbeat songs, or just follow your child’s lead!

We believe so strongly in music because it isn’t limited only to the classroom; our music classes prioritize at-home connections so that you can bring the joy of music into your everyday life. Here’s to 2020 being the year of music! From all of us at Kids’ MusicRound®, Happy New Year! We can’t wait to continue making memories with you and your families in the coming year.