Young children use their voices in a rich variety of ways. Besides calling to each other, using others' names and developing language, they also mimic the sounds they hear around them and the tones of others' voices, and well-known TV and film characters. This spontaneous voice-play can often go unnoticed or may even be regarded as a nuisance. We often praise and show our appreciation for children's displays of their visual art, yet when they make a noise, it is all too easy to dismiss it as unimportant or even annoying. Adults can support children's creative development by listening, and joining in.
Tuning in
Whether you are one-to-one or with two or three together, try listening for an afternoon to all the different sounds children make. Sometimes this can be very rewarding because it helps to focus on individuals. For example, Daniel, playing outside, climbed the grass mound and strummed his red plastic racquet as a guitar, singing 'Hello!' to his friends in the sand pit. Hear where it happens and think how to respond, perhaps by joining in with a young child's sound effects, or using a song that describes what they're doing. Chanting with their name, 'Ellie's bouncing', to the tune of 'Frere Jacques' helps them feel affirmed. The problem is that we can find ourselves laughing at rather than with the children, and this can make them feel embarrassed to try out their voices expressively. When children see adults they know trying out their singing voices, it helps them feel confident about doing it too.
Alison Street is author of Singing together 1 and 2 for PEEP and co-author of Voiceplay, Songs for young children.