Music does the trick on a road trip
Published August 8, 2012 | Music is a very powerful thing. Especially on a road trip! I was recently in the car with my screaming niece, and then again with a screaming nephew. Without music, I don’t know what we would have done. Music is soothing, engaging, and almost always instantly calms and distracts children. Here are a few great tips when it comes to music on a road trip:
1. Pandora: You can download the pandora app onto almost every phone. On this app, you can create stations that play different kind of music. I can tell you that on my personal pandora, I have a raffi station and a lullabye station. You never know when it is necessary!
2. Music you don’t get sick of: Let’s be honest, that children’s music can be ANNOYING. For a long car ride, it is necessary that you find music that you can tolerate along with your child. These days, they make children’s cd’s of popular rock songs. My personal favorite is that they make kids versions of the Beatles!! Artists such as Jewel, the Barenaked Ladies, Ziggy Marley, and more now make children’s albums. They have an adult sound with kid content.
3. The classics: There is a lot of research that classical music has positive effects on the brain and mood. I often use classical music in my classroom to calm students down after lunch. The entire energy of the classroom changes with the classical music. Everyone seems to immediately go from amped up to calm and peaceful. Bringing some of the classics on a car ride can make your family trip like a good yoga session!
4. Study an artist: Children are sometimes surprisingly very interested in learning about famous people. For a slightly older child, you can spend a car trip listening to music of one artist (the Beatles, Billy Joel, the Beach Boys). You can research information about the artist and teach your child about them. You can also choose your favorite song, least favorite song, talk about similarities or differences between songs, and more. Before you know it, you will be at your destination!
These are tips on how to use pop culture music on the road. Stay tuned for tips on how to write and sing your own songs with your children on a road trip.
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