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Singing is an invaluable skill that many children love to learn. If you start teaching kids to sing young, this can foster a lifelong love of music. Start with basic notes and keys and then teach children a few songs and exercises. As singing is a technical skill, a professional can help to really develop children's voices . However, even without the help of a trained coach, the children in your life can learn to love the art of singing.
Steps
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Warm up with yawning. Before you start practicing singing, have the children take a deep breath and then yawn. This will open the throat to prevent strain when singing. [1] X Research source -
Practice breathing. Children need to learn how to breathe properly when singing. Do some breathing exercises so they can understand how to regulate breath while they sing. [2] X Research source- Have the kids breathe in through their noses and out through their mouths.
- Encourage the kids to direct air into their stomachs and diaphragms instead of their chests. Have them place their hands on their stomachs and tell them to direct air so their stomachs rise.
- Have the kids count when they breathe. Have them inhale for 4 counts and then exhale for 4 counts.
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Find a note that comes naturally. Have the child sing something like "la" or "ah" and figure out what their natural pitch is. Use a pitch gauge to measure their pitch. You can also play a few notes on a piano or other instrument to find a note near the child's range. [3] X Research source -
Use the note as a base to explore scales. Once each child has their starting point, you can use this as a basis to explore common beginning scales. Walk them through a basic A/B/C scale, using a recording of scales to help. Start near the child's natural range and have them move up and down the scale as needed. [4] X Research source- Don't worry if the child does not hit notes perfectly right away. The point is to get a rough feel of their pitch. You can work on accuracy later.
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Illustrate scales and pitch with visuals. Children respond to visual cues. Raise your hand up and down to instruct a child to raise and lower their pitch. You can also try using body parts to teach the do-re-mi scale. For example, place your hands on your knees for "do," move your hands to your thighs for "re" and so on. [5] X Research source
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Illustrate tone and pitch through singing. If you have a good singing voice, sing to illustrate tone and pitch. If you're teaching children, you can sing songs you're teaching first. If you're a parent, make singing a daily part of your routine. Sing throughout the day and sing your child lullabies each night. [6] X Research source- If you're not a singer yourself, you can always play the child songs by talented vocalists.
- If you're a teacher, encourage parents to sing to their kids at home.
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Start with simple songs. You can look up age-appropriate songs online and even purchase song books for various age groups at a local bookstore. Children can benefit from learning simple classics, like "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Mary Had A Little Lamb." These songs have simple words and melodies that teach the basics. [7] X Research source- If you're a parent, download recordings of such songs online. Play them in the background while the kids are playing or doing chores to bring music into their lives.
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Play pitch matching games. Sing a note like "la" and have the children repeat the note to you. Keep singing back and forth until they begin hitting the note. Sing a variety of notes across basic scales. This kind of imitation game helps children learn how to recognize tone and maneuver their voices to match it. [8] X Research source- It can help to use a pitch gauge to make sure everyone is in tune.
- To keep children invested, offer small rewards during the game. You can hand out stickers when the kids match the pitch, for instance.
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Use call and echo songs. Call and echo songs are songs that involve children responding to prompts from a song's leader. The speaker may repeat the words back exactly or add an embellishment like "La-dee-da." These can be great songs to teach children to sing in tune. Many songbooks for young children contain these types of songs. [9] X Research source- Examples include things like "Camp Town Races," "I Met a Bear," and "The Green Grass Grew All Around."
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Have the kids make up songs. Get a little silly and fun by telling your singing pupils to make up songs themselves. Kids can sing songs about magic worlds, tiresome chores, fantastic eating, and more. You can have them use familiar tunes from classic childhood favorites or make up their own tunes. This is another way to expose children to music regularly, letting them learn about singing naturally throughout their day to day lives. [10] X Research source- If you're teaching a class, try asking the kids to make up their own songs in teams.
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Enroll the child in extracurriculars involving singing. Many schools offer extracurriculars for free, so take advantage of this. If the child's school has a choir, encourage the child to enroll. If a child can pick optional classes for a given semester, encourage them to take classes that involve singing.- Extracurriculars don't always have to be directly related to singing. Things like band and even a music appreciate course can help develop the child's singing skills.
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Hire a voice teacher. If it's within your budget, search online for local voice teachers. It can be hard to teach children the technical aspects of singing if you're not professionally trained. A personal voice teacher can be invaluable when it comes to teaching children to sing.- Look for a voice teacher with experience working with children. Children respond to different teaching methods than adults, so they'll benefit from a teacher who knows how to talk to kids.
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Look for online lessons. Online lessons are often cheaper than professional voice teachers. You can buy access to an online course that will provide with materials you can teach. Online courses sometimes also include occasional evaluations from a real instructor via things like Skype. -
Have the child join a choir. Look for children's choirs in your area and consider having the child sign up. If the child's church has a children's choir, for example, have them enroll. Singing with other children, under the direction of a professional, can really help the child hone their singing skills.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionMy friends think I sound good and my parents say I'm not bad, but I have a deep voice and I'm a girl -- can I still be a good singer?Annabeth Novitzki is a Private Music Teacher in Austin, Texas. She received her BFA in Vocal Performance from Carnegie Mellon University in 2004 and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Memphis in 2012. She has been teaching music lessons since 2004.Absolutely! Lorde has a very low female voice, and at 17 she was the youngest solo artist to achieve a number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 since 1987.
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QuestionWhat can happen if you started singing without any problems or training, and it sounds good?Community AnswerThat means you have talent. You should take your voice further by getting lessons to expand your range.
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QuestionIs it dangerous if you are a child and you sing a lot without having vocal lessons?LucyCommunity AnswerIf you are screaming or going out of your physical vocal range, it can be dangerous. Otherwise, it is not at all dangerous. If it is painful to sing, you know you are out of your vocal range.
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Tips
- Encourage your child when you notice them singing without prompting or instruction. Some children may even sing to soothe themselves, which is a healthy and effective technique. [11] X Research sourceThanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- Don't be afraid to create your own games and activities. I do something I call "story songs" with my kids. I play a simple chord progression on a guitar and make up a silly simple rhyme, then I pause at the end and allow the child to continue where I left off. Not only does it increase a child's confidence, it also increases their musical creativity.
- A little criticism is okay when teaching a child to sing, but some kids are more sensitive than others. Avoid being harsh, and focus on encouraging them and building them up.
- Remember to have fun! Learning to sing is hard work, but it should also be enjoyable, not overly stressful.
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References
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/warmingup.shtml
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sing/learning/warmingup.shtml
- ↑ https://www.musical-u.com/learn/how-to-teach-someone-to-sing-in-tune/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH6cZFk5iPg
- ↑ https://thebubblebox.com.au/blog/do-re-mi-solfege-hand-signs-teach-young-children/
- ↑ https://simplymusic.com/lullabies-parent-children/
- ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/teach-kids-to-sing-2994281
- ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/teach-kids-to-sing-2994281
- ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/teach-kids-to-sing-2994281
About This Article
Article Summary
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To teach a child to sing, practice scales and simple songs with them so they start to get an ear for pitch and tone. Start off by having your child sing along to a scale like “Do Re Mi” with you or a recording. Sing to them or play them recordings of good singers so they start to get used to pitches. Try raising your hand up and down to show them when the pitch rises and falls. You can also try playing pitch matching games with your child, where you sing a note or phrase and they have to copy. Once they have a basic understanding of pitch, have them join in with nursery rhymes, like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” For more tips from our Music co-author, including how to find a singing group for your child, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I have always loved to sing and perform quite often, but have never had any training for singing. Recently I was asked to teach a class on singing at a local community center for elementary school aged children. This article has given me many ideas." ..." more
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"I have always loved to sing and perform quite often, but have never had any training for singing. Recently I was asked to teach a class on singing at a local community center for elementary school aged children. This article has given me many ideas."
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"I am a professional choir conductor and I believe this is very important information for parents. You need a teacher that first teaches the correct way to sing to your children, and then teach them songs!"
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"Really helped me, because my students at Hugger Elementary didn't think they had good voices but when I showed them this article, it really changed them."
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"How you can sing without screeching or shouting helped. "
"I love music and my favorite song is focalistic my bro."
