Monkey Music and bringing the music home

Published by Matt Mason, 29 Dec 2022

We love Monkey Music and all it stands for. So much so that we asked Jayne from Monkey Music Chelsea and Westminster for tips on bringing music into little people’s lives.

Hi, I’m Jayne 👋

For the last 20 years, I’ve been running my Monkey Music classes in Chelsea and Westminster.

As a professional violinist, teaching has allowed me to pass on my knowledge about the fantastic benefits of exposing little ones to music. The sooner, the better!

We have four age-specific curriculums: From three months to teaching 3 to 4-year-olds to read music and recognise all the orchestra’s instruments. At the end of this post, there’s a link where you click through to our site and find out more.

Bringing Monkey Music into your home

Many new parents have told me that they struggle to find the time to ‘play’ with their babies. They’re just too busy getting through each day.

So here are my top 5 tips on how to enjoy and introduce music at home for you and your baby.

1. Play music with your baby as much as you can!

Think about your favourite songs; they evoke many emotions and make family memories come alive.

2. Make a playlist of songs to help with your routine

You’ll be amazed how well it works; A gentle song for waking up, a fun, upbeat playtime song, sleep time song, lunchtime song, bath time song.

I recommend the same songs for the same part of your routine, and it doesn’t have to be just classical. And your baby will start to recognise and respond to the songs and begin to predict what happens when they hear them.

It’s an excellent way for them to feel secure as they start to know what’s coming next!

3. Sing to your baby

Even if you think you can’t sing, you can, and baby loves YOUR voice more than anyone else’s!

Think of your favourite childhood songs, or make up little songs as you go thru your day to a simple tune you know, like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

The key is repetition, over and over, having lots of fun as you start to see your baby ‘remember’ in those early stages!

4. Search for your favourite song titles online and add ‘lullaby’ at the end

You’ll be amazed at how much is out there!

Then you can sing lullaby versions of your favourite songs, and you’ll already know the words!

5. Use a song to ‘Move to the Beat’ (It’s what we do at Monkey Music)

Lie your little one down and move their arms and legs in and out, up and down. And then building rowing, cycling actions, pushing knees into chest, bouncing up and down.

Then, extend this to making sounds.

Buy a little set of instruments or use things you have in the house, wooden spoons, bowls and pans to make sounds to the beat.

Stopping and starting, hiding things, and bringing them back, are all great ideas to help tracking/swatting for sounds and the grasping reflex.

I do hope this encourages you to welcome music into your home!

Studies show that babies exposed to music at a very young age score higher in reading, writing and maths later in life.

At Monkey Music, we think loving music is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your baby!

So I hope that helps give you some ideas for sharing precious time with your little one through music!

Come and join us at a Monkey Music class

We’re celebrating our 30th birthday at Monkey Music!

And our award-winning, age-specific classes for babies, toddlers and preschool children have become the ‘must-have’ musical activity for thousands of families over the years, and we’d love to show you what we do!