Developmental Music Activities

So maybe you’re sold on music for your child’s development, but you don’t know where to start.

That’s ok!

Below you will find a list of appropriate ways to use music with your child at all different ages and stages of development. When you’re browsing this list, remember that each child is unique and grows and learns at different paces. Don’t worry if your child is “behind” or “ahead” of the milestone examples provided on this list, especially if your child was born prematurely.

If your child was born prematurely, subtract the number of weeks at which they were born from 40 weeks (term gestation). Take this amount of weeks and subtract it from each of the milestones.

(For example, if your child was born at 23 weeks, subtract 17 weeks from each milestone. A 6 month old premature baby may be appropriately working on 2-3 month old milestones.)

And that’s ok!

Also keep in mind that the suggested songs are not limited to one developmental stage. Sing, sing, sing! (And know that repetition is your and your child’s friend!)

We hope this list gives you some ideas of how to help support your child’s development through music at home! Feel free to bookmark this page so you can reference this page often as your child grows!

Milestones

Different types of crying (hungry, tired, hurt)
Responds to auditory, visual, and tactile stimuli
Flexes and extends arms and legs
Is able to calm him/herself

Music Activities

Lullabies for sleep and wake times
Quiet music with a stable, steady tempo for stimulation
Move to action songs
Use infant-directed singing (slow, high, great inflection)
Insert your child’s name into the song

Song Ideas

Hush Little Baby
Rock-a-bye Baby
All the Pretty Little Horses
When You Wish Upon a Star
Wake Up Feet

Milestones

Tracks auditory and visual stimuli
Recognizes familiar stimuli
Turns head to caregiver’s voice
Makes cooing/vowel sounds

Music Activities

Position an object (red or black/white) within the infant’s visual field and move it to the beat of the music
Replace “ee-i-ee-i” with “oo” vowel sounds

Song Ideas

He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands
5 Little Ducks
Looby Loo, Shoo Fly
Old McDonald

Milestones

Rolls over
Crosses over middle to reach and grasp
Mimics
Makes babbling sounds
Initiates speech sounds, uses tone of voice
Responds to “no” or changes in voice and novel sounds

Music Activities

Sing songs with action words and help the child do the actions
Use books of songs and follow along. Point to pictures as you sing
Sing chants that rhyme with names of the child and other important people (mama, dada, sister, brother, etc.)
Play musical toys/instruments to the side and encourage child to reach for and grasp along with the music

Song Ideas

Ten in the Bed
Five Little Monkeys
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Pop! Goes the Weasel
One, Two, Buckle My Shoe
Hickory Dickory Dock

Milestones

Sits alone
Walks holding hands with someone else walking
Listens when spoken to
Plays pat-a-cake
Says “ma-ma, da-da, bye-bye”

Music Activities

Encourage independent play. Give the child several objects that make noise and let him/her play along to recorded music
Sing songs that name objects. Help the child walk around and touch each object
Sing songs with names and replace them with the child’s name. Encourage eye contact when singing/saying the child’s name

Song Ideas

Farmer in the Dell
Alphabet Song
5 Green, Speckled Frogs
Are You Sleeping?
A Tisket A Tasket

Milestones

Climbs stairs
Feeds self with spoon
Sings songs without words
Uses 2-word phrases
Follows simple directions
Demonstrates 20-40 word vocabulary

Music Activities

Replace words of familiar songs with words for daily activities like brushing teeth, coming hair, eating, etc.
Sing songs with directions like clap hands, stomp feet
Play recorded instrumental music and give the child paper and crayons. Sing along to direct drawing
Play recorded music or play an instrument and encourage the child to use vocal play or babble along

Song Ideas

Little Bunny Foo Foo
Bingo
London Bridge
Shake Your Sillies Out

I Love You A Bushel and a Peck
Baby Beluga
This Little Light of Mine

Milestones

Lifts head momentarily
Can put hand-to-mouth and arms-to-middle
Alerts to own name
Smiles
Interacts in a quiet, alert state
Recognizes Caregiver

Music Activities

Hold the infant’s hands, palms together, in front of them. Move the hands in time to the music
With a partner, sit on either side of the infant and sing name/smile. Take turns singing the child’s name and give the infant time to alert to his/her name and move head side-to-side. Mirror child’s facial expressions
Sing and use facial expressions

Song Ideas

If You’re Happy & You Know It
S-M-I-L-E
Mary Had a Little Lamb (use child’s name)
You Are My Sunshine
Patty-Cake
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Milestones

Lifts head hen on stomach
Reaches, grasps, and moves objects
Laughs
Vocalizes with interactions, matches sung pitches
Balances head in supported sitting
Bears some weight on legs

Music Activities

Place the infant on his/her stomach and sit in front of him/her. When the child lifts its head, make eye contact and sing. When the head drops, stop singing. Repeat
Hold the infant and dance as you sing or play recorded music. Turn, sway, and dip to the beat of the music
Give the infant a musical toy and sing in time to his/her movement. Stop singing when he/she stops moving. Repeat.
Sing simple songs with few notes (Hot Cross Buns) and match vocalized responses to the infant

Song Ideas

This Old Man
Three Blind Mice
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Ring Around the Rosie
It’s Raining, It’s Pouring
Hot Cross Buns
I Love You, You Love Me

Milestones

Pulls up to stand / stands alone
Scoots / crawls
Feeds self with pincer (pinch) grasp
Shows preference for and interest in words with 1st syllable accent/stress
Matches notes of simple melodies
Plays peek-a-boo

Music Activities

Sing children’s songs while clapping, holding hands, doing actions, etc. Encourage the child to do the actions with the words.
Sing songs with simple melodies. Sing a phrase and have the child sing back to you. Match the child’s notes and singing style
Sing songs with 1 syllable words and emphasize those words (like “Zoom Zoom” and “Ah Ah”)
Play musical hide and seek: sing “I see the ____” (Point to object) “Where did it go?” (Cover object with a scarf) “Peek-a-boo” (Pull scarf off object)

Song Ideas

Wheels On The Bus
If All the Raindrops
I’m a Little Teapot
Mulberry Bush
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going to the Moon
Skip To My Lou
Cuppycake

Milestones

Walks
Drinks from a cup
Recognizes words for common objects
Moves objects in beat to music
Indicates wants by pointing/vocalizing

Music Activities

Give the child a safe toy that makes music when blown (kazoo, harmonica, recorder, etc.) Stay with them while they have the toy. Model rhythmic and/or humming sounds
Use pictures and point to them during songs like Alice the Camel
Sing A Hunting We Will Go and find objects around the house
Give the child instruments to play, and sing about each one as they play. Change words as they change instruments.

Song Ideas

Where is Thumbkin
Clap, Clap, Clap Your Hands
Boom Boom Ain’t It Great To Be Crazy
A Hunting We Will Go
Alice the Camel
Mister Sun

Milestones

Initiates gross motor skills (arms, legs, trunk, whole body)
Learns to label 2-5 new objects a day
Shares
Holds hand of adult to walk across street or parking lot

Music Activities

Sing songs that use actions and name body parts. Encourage the child to do the actions along
Sing songs that name objects
Encourage pretend play by singing songs or playing songs that tell a story while the child plays with toys
Replace words of familiar songs with words for skills like crossing the street, sharing, helping

Song Ideas

The Ants Go Marching
Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes
Hokey Pokey

Going on a Bear Hunt
Going to the Zoo
How Much is that Doggie in the Window

Resources

Standley, J., Walworth, D. (2010). Music therapy with premature infants. Research and development interventions (2nd Ed.) Naperville, IL: The American Music Therapy Association

Bronson Methodist Hospital Music Therapy Department, 2016.