Do you ever have trouble getting your child's attention?

Hearing is one of the earliest senses a child develops. The auditory system develops in the 3rd trimester while the child is inside the womb. Often times babies and children under the age of 4 respond to a parent who is singing to them versus a parent who is speaking to them. Infant-guided singing with a variety of repetition, high pitch, slow tempo, and a loving singing voice provide the child comfort and a safe place to conduct the instructions by the parent, caregiver, or the teacher. In music class, we practice our listening skills by singing our clean-up songs and transitions from one activity to the other rather than verbally instructing the children:

"Follow, follow, follow me. Let's clean up for the next activity!"

The next time you're trying to get your child's attention, try your instructions in a song!