Fun With Tots (Toddlers)

Song before storytelling begins (for preschoolers and toddlers)

2008-05-02T19:54:00.001-07:00

Days of the week

2008-05-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

Good for teaching days of the week. What's interesting is the use of puppet which will engage the children.

Eensy weensy spider, big big spider (concept: size, high/low (pitch), slow/fast)

2008-05-02T19:38:00.001-07:00

This is a very good song for teaching concept on:
Sizes
Eensy, weensy - small, little
Big, big - big, huge etc

Speed
Slow and fast

Low and high (voice pitch)

Rhymes and songs can be comforting and allay fears in child

2008-05-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

I was about to start storytelling to a group of kids at Bukit Batok Community library when a boy about 5 years old came in with his grandfather. He was very reluctant to join in but after some 'pushing' by his grandfather,he did come into the storytelling room but he sat a distance away from the group of kids just next to the door (I guessed the door would be his 'escape route' if he deciced to leave).

At this point, I was going through a song with the kids and this song was part of the story I was to tell shortly. I nodded to him, signalling that it is OK. The grandfather left the room. As all the kids repeated the lyrics of the song and its catchy tune, the boy listened attentively but kept his distance.

After a while , I began to tell the story. The story title was "The Singing Chick" by Victoria Stenmanrk. The story tells about a newly hatched chick skipping, dancing and singing through the forest as he felf so happy to see the world for the first time. The earth was so breathtakingly beautiful as the chick admired the captivating blue sky, the yellow sun and the green trees. He came out with a song:
The sky is so blue
The Sun is so yellow
The trees are so green
And I'm a happy fellow
Peepeep, peepeep, peepeep, peep, peep!

While singing and dancing through the forest, the chick bumped into a fox who said "Hello lunch" when he responded to the chick's greetings. He swalowed the chick in one BIG gulp. Then, he felt funny and found himself dancing and singing the song. He did not understand why he felt so happy. But one thing he realised that he can't stop singing and dancing even if he wanted to.

The fox bumped into a wolf who bumped into a bear. Each animal could not stop feeling very happy, dancing and singing until they were swallowed by the bigger animal. So the story goes.

So you see, the song was repeated through the story and the kids sang along. By the time we sang the song for the 3rd time, the boy who was afraid and reluctant came forward and joined the group and even sang along. When the storytelling session ended, he was the last to leave the room.

The incident above illustrated how songs can be very comforting and allay fears in a child. Mothers always sings lullaby to comfort their babies and it ususally works.

Hence, songs and rhymes has their special place in children.

Make learning fun; Fun makes learning ...FUN!

2008-05-02T17:43:00.000-07:00

I was testing my son who is 7 years old the new Arabic words he learns from the Madrasah - a religious school he goes every Saturday. One of the words was 'Suk baa nun' which means snake. The letter 'k' in the first sylable is pronouce with a nasal sound. And I was emphasizing this sound. Somehow my son found it funny and he started to giggle. After I went through the sound with him for several time, I too realized how funny it was and started laughing. My son can't help it and laughed whenever he says that particular sylable out loud.

Now his younger brother who is 5 years old was also there mimicking his articulation of the sylable 'suk'. He too found it funny and together we just laughed. From that day onwards, both my sons never forget the word "Suk baa nnun' and that it means snake.

The incident above explains how learning can be fun and yet very effective. Incorporating 'play' in anything we want children to learn will definitely make learning less a chore and furthermore, it may encourage and motivate the child to want to learn more.

ABC Songs (Great)

2008-04-18T21:11:00.000-07:00

Counting to 10 (Sesame Street)

2008-03-22T08:42:00.001-07:00

C sound

2008-03-22T08:35:00.001-07:00

C sound

2008-03-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Mary Had A Little Lamb

2008-03-22T08:17:00.001-07:00

Jack and Jill

2008-03-22T08:15:00.000-07:00

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (good)

2008-03-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

To market, To market

2008-03-22T08:10:00.001-07:00

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

2008-03-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

2 Little Ducks

2008-03-22T08:07:00.001-07:00

It's raining, it's pouring

2008-03-22T08:05:00.001-07:00

Ding Dong Bell

2008-03-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

Elmo's alphabet rap (Sesame Street)

2008-03-22T07:57:00.001-07:00

ABC - sign alphabet (Sesame Street)

2008-03-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

10 little monkeys are sitting on the wall

2008-03-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Alphabet song (balloons)

2008-03-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

Go away! (Colors)

2008-03-21T08:32:00.000-07:00

Twinkle, Twinkle Litte Star

2008-03-21T07:37:00.001-07:00

2008-03-21T07:33:00.003-07:00

If you're happy and you know it

2008-03-21T07:33:00.001-07:00

Alphabet Song2

2008-03-21T07:28:00.001-07:00

Alphabet song

2008-03-21T07:24:00.001-07:00

Lady bug, Lady bug (body song)

2008-03-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

Peekaboo (animal song)

2008-03-21T07:17:00.001-07:00

Body songs

2008-03-21T07:10:00.001-07:00

Rain Rain Go Away

2008-03-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Five little monkeys

2008-03-20T19:06:00.000-07:00