Making Noise Into Music

Have you ever considered that you can make music out of household items? These activities will target the development and refinement of going from making noise to producing simple music. Along the way your child will learn about concepts like loud/quiet, hard/soft, fast/slow, high pitch/low pitch and making or copying rhythm and simple melodies.

Make some Noise – Body Parts

As infants and children learn from a bases on their body and then expand out to explore and interact with the world, start with making sounds that are referenced from the body. For an infant and/or child with CVI or additional impairment some guided help maybe needed.

Make some noise and explore the concepts of:

• loud/quiet; hard/soft; fast/slow:

• clap hands

• make a swiping motion hand-to-hand and hand to a body part

• stomp a foot, stomp both feet, stomp feet alternately

• make tongue clicks & other mouth sounds, pat different body parts, chest, tummy, legs…

• make fingers "dance" or tap on a hard surface, soft surface

• make armpit "farts"

Make some Noise - Personal Items

Transition from making and exploring sounds that can be made on and with the body to checking out sounds and levels of noise that can be made with items that the child wears, uses, or plays with. Explore features of loud/soft; smooth/bumpy and concept of pitch (high/low sounds).

• Zipper and/or snaps on pants or coat

• sounds made by or from different toys

• footwear (sound of slippers vs. runners vs. boots)

• sound of brushing teeth

• sounds from different textured clothing,(explore with a scratching motion)

Make some Noise - Household Items

Explore items within the house or apartment that make noise and attributes, loud/quiet, low or high pitch, heavy or light sound… Go room by room & compare loudest sound, highest pitch, etc.)

• Open and close cupboards, doors, drawers

• Sound of the kettle, filling & when boiling

• Sound of chairs being moved

• Sound of phone, keyboard, printer

• Microwave, Dishwasher, Washing Machine, Dryer- open/close, set buttons, mid cycle, "ding"

• Sound of fridge, furnace, textured vs. smooth wall, stair railing, water in sink vs. tub or shower

• Sound of utensils and tools

Explore Sound Qualities

Do a re-check on items to explore Sound Qualities - quiet, loud, harsh or soft, hi or low pitch. This can be done by direct exploration with the hands (tap, drum, swipe) and use of utensils; wooden spoon vs. metal spoon vs. fork, rubber spatula, whisk, potato masher.

Making Noise to Making Music!

Introduce a simple song, nursery rhyme or chorus: i.e.: "Adams Family" theme music:

• While singing or humming the chorus have your child join in by vocalizing

• Next clap or stomp out the beat

• Follow this with a combination of vocalizing and body sounds, (stomp, clamp, tap, swipe)

Perhaps you will have come across some instruments, or musical toys on your exploration of noises. Gather those together and explore each instrument in depth in combination with other sounds in the house. What are the different sounds and rhythms you can make with each?

• Explore elements that transition making noise to making music, these include:

• Cadence (fast, slow song or rhyme)

• Pitch (high/low sounds)

• Duration (length of time that a sound is produced, constant or with breaks)

• Tempo (speed changes within the song) Dynamic (how loud or soft)

• Structure (melody produced by varying different sounds and elements from instruments, voice, household sounds and actions i.e.: foot stomps).

• Have each family member select their favorite and explore what they sound like when played together.

• Trade instruments and combination of household and body sounds.

• Change pattern of beats and practice several times once the child has come upon a favorite tune or riff.

Credit: Blind Beginnings, PRCVI, BC Blind Sports, Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada
Photo Credit: Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash