Here's a familiar song to use for exercise and muscle control -- and a way to have fun with words.

Materials:

• Chair, blanket or rug

Directions:

Show your child the arm motions for rowing. You could sit in a chair or on a blanket or rug on the floor and pretend to be rowing while you sing the song "Row, Row Row Your Boat."

For variation, sing and row slowly at first, then faster each time, then slower and slower.

After you sing the original words for this song, you and your child might like to sing a royal version, sung to the same melody by King Friday the XIII who loves to use grandiose words.

"Propel, Propel, Propel Your Craft"

Propel, propel, propel your craft
Gently down liquid solution
Ecstatically, ecstatically
Ecstatically, ecstatically,
Existence is but an illusion.

Once children have mastered a language, they often want to "play" with that language by using big words or even made-up words. You might want to use those new fancy words in everyday conversation with your child, asking him or her, "Would you like a glass of liquid solution?" or "I'm ecstatic over what you've just made."

Back to Theme