Jingle Bottle Shaker
What you need
- a small plastic bottle with a screw lid
- a handful of jingle bells
- strong tape
How to do it
- Hand your toddler the sealed shaker and give it a jingle together so they hear the sound.
- Give it a shake together: fast and loud, then slow and quiet.
- Sing "Jingle Bells" and shake along, then stop shaking when the song stops.
Why it matters
Shaking along to a song links the sound they make to the beat they hear, and stopping when the song stops is early listening and self-control.
What they're learning
- Shaking to a beat
- Moving in time with a song, even roughly, is the start of rhythm and of joining in music with others.
- Loud and quiet
- A big shake and a little shake sound different, and they hear the difference their own hands make.
- Stop and go
- Stopping when the song stops is a small, fun practice of waiting and listening.
What to look for
Watch for them stopping when the singing stops, then shaking again when it starts. Stay close, nothing in mouths.
A tip
Check the tape before every play. Loose bells are small enough to choke on, so if the lid ever works loose, put the shaker away until you have sealed it again.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: shake it for them and let them grab it and try
Harder: make a second sealed bottle with dry rice yourself and listen to how the two sound different
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