Songs are a great help for regulating behavior and establishing expectations for any routine. Here are some steps for bringing more music into your day:
- Think about when your child is the fussiest: diaper changing? In the car? Getting dressed? Teeth brushing?
- Experiment using when your child is having a hard time with a transition or routine.
- Try songs you already know for your own childhood
- If you don’t know any songs, look online for words or play a recorded song
- Adding your child’s name to a song or changing the words to songs they already know will grab their attention
- Feel free to create your own silly song to fit your child’s situation
- Be consistent and make the connection between the routine and the song: “Oh, we need to wash your hands – it’s time for the hand washing song!”
- Don’t give up! A song might need several tries to see if it fits. If it isn’t working, try something else until you find something your child likes.
