Saturday, June 21, 2008

Dum, ditty, dum, ditty, dum dum dum


Spike Jones knew what he was doing. I remember listening to his songs when I was little ( on a....gasp...record player!) and cracking up. There were so many different noises that the man could make- it was amazing! And hilarious! Of course I had to try the razzberries, finger/mouth popping, and hiccup-gulps. My friends thought I was from another planet....BUT... they were laughing!!! The point here is that sounds, especially funny human-made sounds, get a reaction. And when you're playing with a baby, reaction is a very good thing.


Are you utilizing your "silly potential" with your kids? With babies, it's as easy as making simple sounds like ba-ba-ba, ma-ma-ma, da-da-da, la-la-la. There are endless combinations to these simple syllables ( called "phonemes").


Phonemes are the simplest forms of language- simple syllables that when strung together, form words. By presenting phonemes to your baby in a rhythmic way, you are teaching her language skills that will last a lifetime. Try this with your baby:


ba-ba, ma-ma, la-la, da ( repeat, in rhythm. Watch for your baby looking at you, looking at your mouth, and give yourself a few minutes of silence in between to see if your baby responds.)

or

ma-ma-ma, da-da-da, la-la-la, ba ( like a waltz beat- 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1)


And maybe you thought you weren't musical! Ha!


Make up your own syllable games! Get creative! Your child will enjoy all of the different sounds and combinations and they may try a few of their own.


You can also find phonemes in rhyming books. Sandra Boynton's book, "Moo Baa La La La", and Al Perkins' "Hand, Hand Fingers Thumb" are great books that emphasize syllables and repetition.


Studies prove that music and language are vital to a baby's optimal growth and development. So shoo-bee-doo to your heart's content- your baby will love it!