to sing harmonies in toddler music sessions?

[PrincessPotsie]

Am I turning into one of those annoying mums? I always remember a v annoying dad doing sit ups during 'Row Row Row Your Boat' at a playgroup I once went to. He definitely was BU...

Tbh, I'd just think that anything goes at toddler music group.

But then I've had toddlers who have:

Cried because the group leader was out of tune (v sensitive pitch)
Sung harmonies of their own
tried to organise the other toddlers into various splinter groups for singing in the round

Clearly I have un-British, wankery toddlers

Lighten up everyone - it's a fun music group for small children. The OP wasn't talking about turning it into a glee episode centred on her, but just a small way to alleviate the Groundhog Day aspect of singing the 3 Little Monkeys again

I would cringe if someone did this

I once had to demonstrate how to sing in harmony, and in a round at a toddler group. I wouldn't have minded, but I was sixteen and only there to choose some library books!

The lady running it was a proper soprano (and my music teacher) which is why I presume the other mums were having to learn a harmony part as very few people could reach the notes she managed in some of the songs. And you could hear her from the rest of the library regardless of how many others were singing...

OK, could someone please, please post a link to a song with harmonies? I've had a few singing lessons (am an alto :)) but I have no clue what it means. I don't deliberately show off when singing with small children (I volunteer in a children's centre) but I do use the breathing stuff I've been taught. I'd never practice it otherwise! No one has commented so far so I obviously don't sound show off-y :)

Mamas and Papas sung beautiful harmonies!

This post is sooo funny! I can just about hold a tune... but when a harmony comes in i completely lose the tune.... !!!

Oooooh I understand now, thank you Bea

The harmonies are lovely on this but you have to wait until the chorus before they kick in.

... and this has lovely harmonies in the chorus!!!

I'm on a roll now!!!

I go to music stuff sometimes at one of the cathedral choir schools.

One of the mum's routinely harmonises (eg. during hymn singing at end of term concert).

Even in that audience where there are lots of musical people I judge her for being a show off.

Or perhaps I judge her more for showing off when I suspect that half the audience (not me) could do it too.

Personally i'm tone deaf and know children that refuse to let me sing to them.

Oooh. The idea of harmonising at toddler music is so buttock clenchingly embarrassing I am squirming at the thought.

And yet I feel a warm glow of schadenfreude that someone else out there is more socially inept than I am.

Fwiw if I was another parent there I'd probably quietly ask the harmony woman to help support the melody as that's what the toddlers need to hear.

I think that impromptu uninvited harmonising is always wanky and antisocial.

One of the volunteers at toddler group decided we were going to sing a round once. Then set the second part off at the wrong time. Then tried to do it again when it didn't work the first time. Oops.

So no I think keep the harmonies out of it.

Hilarious, thank you OP. I think you should continue singing your harmonies. Let them cringe! Life is not meant to be neat and tidy. Mix it up, babe! Toddler groups are mind-numbingly dull.

I would love to hear 'the wheels on the bus' sung in four parts.

This has to be one of my favorite threads ever - it's just brilliant.

I too would be delighted.

Like when someone farts at mum and baby yoga. It's all good.

Just to Say that if this were my early years group ( I'm an early years music specialist... Not franchised classes! ) and you did this I'd be delighted. Kids can hold a tune, especially songs you sing a lot, but it's also nice for them to experience harmony, accompaniment, spontaneous music making etc. it really isn't as daft an idea as everyone thinks...if you go to really specialised early years groups....ie the sage Gateshead.... Harmonising is a normal part of group sessions....

The problem is, if you're doing it out of that kind of environment, clearly people are going to think you're nuts....but I'd be delighted to have you.... :p

Ahh Ruskin that brings back memories of baby yoga with DD. when not doing giant old man burps she would fart like horse. I was constantly going "ooh dd what a windy bum!" etc to point out that it wasn't me.

She must have got her social ineptitude from me, the poor girl.

Another one who would LOVE this to happen at one of the toddler groups I go to. I would not be able to contain myself if someone broke into elaborate harmonies during old macdonald. In fact I may start practising some to unleash on Monday. Maybe we all should - secret mumsnet harmony day!

Har har. I don't have the musical acumen to knowingly do harmonies. But I did have a very embarrassing moment at library sing song when we were doing grand old duke of York cos I always do this version "and when they were up they were up UP UP!" and so on. The other singers were clearly working with the unembellished version and so my unnecessary "UP, UP!" fell on deathly silence and a series of titters from the parents who thought I was taking the piss. I honestly wasn't!

I'm still a bit confused! Is harmony singing in a different pitch but at the same time or is it singing in rounds kind of thing as well as a different pitch?

was there no pointing and snickering??

This has to be one of the funniest things I've read on MN!!

Laughing my head off at this thread, thanks op it's really tickled me, think we all do it a bit secretly

Anybody deliberately harmonising at my toddler group on Monday (I lead singing at the end) will get a stern look and a LDC.

Surely the ultimate harmony.