Welcome to Musicologie Junior Online Week 4! Musicologie Junior is an online music exploration and music education class for infants, toddlers, young children up to age 5, and their adults. Each week we explore a melody, a rhythm and an instrument. We have a dance party, and we read a musical storybook.
Here’s how to participate: If this is your first time, start with Week 1. Otherwise, watch the Week 4 video above and then download the Musicologie Junior at home materials below to do the daily at home activities with your little one. An important note about kids younger than 18 months: Studies show that kids that age do not absorb much information from screens or videos. However, they DO absorb information when they watch you. So, it is very important that you are singing and dancing with them at home, and using the rhythm and melody cards. Your child IS learning every time they watch you, even if they can’t yet participate. Use the activities during the week to engage with your child, modeling and reinforcing the things you’re learning in the weekly video.
Week 4 Downloadable Materials
Downloadable materials include printable rhythm of the week and melody of the week cards, as well as a PDF version of the week 4 at home activities.
Week 4 At Home Activities
Do these daily activities with your child at home to help reinforce the concepts we introduced in the video, and to have fun exploring music together.
Day 1 – Rhythm of the Week
Age 0-1: Pat/clap the rhythm of the week with your child. Try patting it on their head, their feet, with their hands, on their backs. Substitute any words you can think of to the rhythm: “Love you” “Bedtime!” “Shoes on” “Jumping!”
Age 1-4: Pat/clap the rhythm of the week with your child. Try having them pat it on their head, their feet, with their hands, on their backs. Substitute any words you can think of to the rhythm and ask your child to repeat after you (or try their own): “Love you” “Bedtime!” “Shoes on” “Jumping!”
Day 2 – Melody of the Week
Sing and sign the melody of the week with your child, holding up the Do Re Mi cards for them to see and explore
Day 3 – Listening
Go to our Listening Playlist. Listening: These pieces feature our instrument of the week– the classical voice!
“Largo Al Factotum: Figaro” from the Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
“Duetto buffo di due gatti” by Giaochino Rossini
Day 4 – Exploration
Age 0-1: Sing “How Are You Feeling Today” song face-to-face with your child and exaggerate the emotions with your face.
Age 1-4: Sing “How Are You Feeling Today” song and ask your child to sing how they are feeling or how their stuffed animal is feeling or how their sibling or friend is feeling today.
Day 5 – Exploration
Age 0-1: Pull out some pots and pans, tupperware, wooden spoons, or other household items that could be used as percussion instruments, and do some drumming together. Sing a favorite song from our classes so far and allow your child to explore. Try singing the same song fast and then slow, loud and then soft. Also try repeating movements or sounds that your child creates.
Age 1-4: Do the same thing as above but also try call-and-response with your child to see if they can imitate sounds and rhythms that you make. And then have them give you sounds and rhythms to imitate too!
Day 6 – Dance Party!
Pull up our Dance Party Playlist and rock out together!
Songs for Melody of the Week: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston, “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, “Rockin’ Robin” by The Jackson Five
Song for Rhythm of the Week: “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen.