Other than starting Kindermusik when she was six months old, I never really had a plan for incorporating music into her daily rhythm. In so many ways I've let Magnolia lead me in making sure she has time to dance & sing literally every single day. Now that we are two & half years in, I thought it'd be fun to share some of the things we do each day that make dance parties a natural part of our day & other ways we incorporate music into our lives.
1. Alexa is hands down the main reason we have music playing every single day. It is so easy to say "Alexa play the Leap movie soundtrack" & get this girl twirling around the house. I honestly think I'd be lost without Alexa now.
2. It's a family thing. Ryan & I dance with her all the time & even if we're busy doing something else she'll insist on a partner in the fun. Before you know it, it's a dance party, Valentine included.
3. Movies certainly inspire her & the movie Leap is where she has learned her newest ballerina moves. She also loves Nutcracker (such a beautiful movie) & Into the Woods (mainly singing).
4. Tutus & ballerina slippers set the mood & she transforms into a little princess right before our eyes. For easy access, we have a drawer on her level in our TV cabinet that stores all of her tutus & shoes. She is in & out of them all day long. My very favorite tutus are from I Love Plum - hands down the best quality with the leotard body & fluffiest twirl-worthy tulle. She is obsessed with the toddler ballet slippers I found at Target.
5. I cannot tell you how grateful I am that we are part of the Kindermusik program. I literally did an online search for baby classes in my area, and on a whim signed up for music classes at a church near our home. We started when she was only six months old & we attend once a week. The classes are playful + nurturing and we get to sing, move, play instruments & hear stories. You can read more about their researched curriculum on their website. It's been amazing!
6. Instead of battery operated toys we have age appropriate musical instruments all around the house. The Schoenhut baby grand piano has a spot in our kitchen & she still plays on it once a day. In her playroom & all around the house (like our kitchen drawers that she took over) are smaller instruments that allow her to be creative and make her own music.
7. We learned about play silks in music class. In another drawer of our TV cabinet we have silks that we often pull out and twirl around while we sing our heart out to our favorite songs. They are also really fun to use for capes, head scarves, and skirts. Perfect gift for imaginative play!
8. We just recently took Magnolia to her first live concert & we were so proud of her ability to tune into the music & just dance! We plan to take her to see the Nutcracker this Christmas. Research free live music in your area, you'll be surprised at what you'll find & how much the little ones enjoy it.
9. Watch concerts on Netflix. She's a fan of Taylor Swift already!
10. Back to #1 use Alexa to play music in the background all day long.
I haven't made a music jar yet, but I'm going to, maybe even today. It is the best idea & I know Magnolia will love it. It's such a great way to branch out from the same ol' music. You can find a long list of music ideas over on the Larson House blog & like us she doesn't censor her daughter's music, so I appreciate it even more.
Oh, and lastly I didn't mention this above, but a play microphone can be anything. Magnolia often runs to the kitchen drawer and pulls out ice cream scoopers & wine corks!
Have fun & dance the days away!!!
xo
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