Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Mom & Baby Activities: Singing

I thought I knew a lot of songs, but having a baby really put my knowledge of lyrics to the test!

Singing was the most consistent way to get our little 6 week old to smile, so we found ourselves rushing to find songs we liked along with their lyrics. I now regularly sing upbeat songs to elicit smiles out of my little one, and we selected a couple of wind down songs to use before nap or bedtime.

I discovered a number of programs that involve singing for infants, and registered for one in my neighbourhood. This is the first activity I signed up for, as its stress free: you can sing while feeding, changing a diaper, holding a sleeping baby, so no matter what mood your baby is in you can get something out of this activity.

The program I signed up for is Hush-a-Bye Babies. I've attended a session in Westboro twice so far and its been well organized and very easy to manage with my son. The moms are all very nice, and because its in such a good neighbourhood people tend to stick around and go for tea or lunch afterwards. Alice, the host, provides a healthy baked treat and fruit during a mid-class break, which offers a great opportunity to get to know the other moms.

In Ottawa, there are quite a few options available. These are the options I found while searching for a class to register for:
  • Hush-a-Bye Babies is a paid program offered in multiple locations around the city. The host brings snacks and there is an emphasis on meeting other parents.
  • The Ottawa Public Library offers free sessions, named Babytime. These are great but not as good of a way to connect with other moms, as daycares and nannies also make heavy use of this free program.
  • Kindermusik for which you can register via the Ottawa Recreations Program.
  • Making Music Meaningful offers both French and English programs. Its similar to Hush-a-Bye, but classes are only 30 minutes and they also include a short bout of the instructor playing an instrument, which varies weekly, for the babies to listen to.
  • In the summer, Monkey Rock Music offers free infant-appropriate sessions in the park.
  • For slightly older infants, Mothercraft offers a 2 session Baby Signs and Songs series. Its said that babies as young as 9 months can learn how to sign before they learn to speak, and this workshop emphasizes learning to communicate with your baby before they talk by learning songs and signs. 

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