MAKING MUSIC FROM SCRATCH
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 7:42PM 
Music can be loud or soft, pleasant or irritating, happy or sad, consonant or dissonant. Nature surrounds us with music...birds singing, waves crashing, raindrops on our rooftops. Children are gifted music makers, especially when they think no one is listening. Even before he could speak, one of my nephews loved to experiment with sounds. One of his favorite sounds was a raspberry set to a distinctive rhythmic pattern. We never knew when or where he would burst into this favorite "song".
JUST FOR FUN - Try this with 2 or more preschoolers.
1. Ask each child to make their favorite sound. Be prepared - it might be a gross one.
2. Clap your hands or snap your fingers in a slow but steady beat and ask your preschoolers to make their sounds to your beats. Then ask them to make their sounds in between the beats for a little syncopation. The challenge is to fit the sounds to the beat. Be creative. Got any sand paper lying around the house? Rub 2 pieces together to make a scratchy sound for the beat. The results can be entertaining & hilarious.
By the way, it might not sound like it, but this is how music is made. It all starts with rhythm.
Click here for a sound sample: