Works For Me Wednesday
Random Fact about me #6: I know the Greek Alphabet. I learned it back in elementary school and can still recite it. I am sure that I would have forgotten by summer if it weren’t for the fact that we learned it in the form of a song. Unfortunately, knowing the greek alphabet has never helped me get anywhere in life, but it does show me just how much a catchy tune can embed something in your mind.
Without even meaning to I have already started to use this teaching method with my 2 year old. We sing little songs daily during mundane tasks to help make the routine a little more fun as well as learning a little something along the way.
For example when it comes to getting dressed we sometimes incorporate the hokey pokey or for the pants we do the rhyme from Dr. Seuss Foot Book “left foot left, right foot right, feet in the day, feet in the night.” It helps him focus when we need to get ready fast, and learning the difference between left and right is a bonus. When it comes to brushing the teeth we sing a song from dare I say it, BARNEY! Part of the song says “I am brushing my teeth on the bottom cause I’d hate to say I forgot ‘em.” and then there is “Oh I am brushing my teeth in the back, I’ve got to get rid of all of that plaque.” And we are still working on this one, because right now a more accurate song for what he does would be “well I am eating my tooth brush and paste, because I just like the way that it tastes.”
I think songs are a great way to learn on any level and it can begin SO young. A lot of the songs we just make up and with my husband being a muscician he likes to get involved too. I know it’s a simple concept as old as the American alphabet, and maybe a little silly at times, but it works for me. To see what is working for other people check out WFMW, at wearethatfamily.com.
