Watch your child capture the rhythm of the music, as your child works on listening skills and creativity.

Materials:

• Rhythmic music on the radio, cassette or CD
• Paper
• Crayons or markers
• Play clay (optional)

Directions:

To help your child focus on the musical beat, start by moving or clapping to the rhythm of the music.

Using the rhythmic beat of the music, have your child move the crayons or markers on paper.  Your child might want to make swirls, long or short strokes or dots, according to the rhythm.  Lots of interesting designs can emerge when the creativity is sparked by the musical beat. This is a different kind of creating because it's inspired by musical rhythms. Instead of focusing on the product, the focus is on the process.

Have your child make another picture to music with a different beat.  See how different the design is now.

As a variation, your child can use the musical rhythm for play clay fun -- tapping on the play clay with fingers, making ridges or other marks on it, or pounding on it.

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