Although I am not including “Merbabies” for my Kindermusik Creatures at the Ocean semester, this is a great way to recognize the wonderful interplay between music and animated movement. Disney, of course, has a wonderful way of developing animation to bring out the best in the music, and developing music to bring out the best in a story.
While watching this video with your child (2 (sometimes) or older), use the pause button and stop the video every now and then to talk about the music, the instruments, the sound effects, and how it relates to what is going on in the story. Ask open ended questions, and have them respond to the music when they hear particular things. See the ideas listed below:
- How does the music sound like the waves you see?
- Tell me to pause when hear a sound effect that is not made by an instrument? (use this repeatedly)
- How does the music sound different when you see the bubbles, compared to when you see the waves? (This is a staccato / legato concept.)
- How does the music sound when the babies are splashing and when they are laughing?
- Tell me when the music sounds happy, or sad.
These are just examples of the types of ways parents and children can interact with this type of video to help children become more aware of how music enhances actions and emotions.
Learn more ways for parents and children to interact with music by joining a Kindermusik class. It is an amazing experience, developmentally beneficial, and it will build wonderful memories for you and your child. Check out the programs available in Lakeland or Winter Haven, Florida in the headings at the top of this page. Or if somewhere else, check out Kindermusik.com and find potentially classes using your zip code.