Music/singing class or tutor required for 3 year old who sings constantly

[Loopytait]

Can anyone advise me on how to encourage my 3 year old's singing talent. She's really into singing - and I'm not just talking twinkle twinkle here... yesterday it was James Blunt's "Beautiful" (minus the naughty words I hasten to add) - Also does a great rendition of Dolly Parton's "Love is like a butterfly". I really want to find a way for her to explore this ability... any ideas?? I live in Surrey. Thank-you

My dd was the same and we went to Jo Jingles which was great. She learned lots of songs. She also learned how to listen better; how to beat and clap simple rhythms; wait her turn and count rests; sing in two and three parts with others, sing loud and soft - all the basics. And they did music-related stories, demonstrated instruments, all in a wonderfully encouraging atmosphere. Highly recommended. Don't buy the video, though - it's really dire!

Age 3 is a funny age, they are starting to get a little too old for the pre-school Jo Jingles classes but are too young for activities like choirs and singing groups.

For the moment I would try her with something like Jo Jingles, then if she enjoys it but begins to outgrow it, move her at age 4/5 into something like Stagecoach.

Do NOT even consider private one to one singing lessons until at least age 9/10 (for some children even that is too young. You have to be so careful with young voices. They should be doing posture, breath control, intonation and learning a variety of appropriate styles in group singing lessons but one to one are too intense at that age.

From about 7 or 8 onwards you can look into junior choirs. The LEA may have one.

Activities you can do yourself include things like pitch matching. Sing a note and get her to find that note, then move your voice up or down a bit so she follows the note.

Sing lots of songs with her, don't worry about it being "right" just foster enjoyment.

We do little warm up excercises with our children, singing me ah smile up the scale for example but she may be a little young for that.

(my dh is a singing teacher by the way)

This is an interesting conversation. Have same/similar issues - children love singing especially dd1 (age 6) but that does not necessarily equate to wanting to learn an instrument at school - although that is her main and only option for 'extra' music at the moment. She would love a really good sing-song (no choir at school) - think it would do masses for her general confidence too, she so enjoys it. Not in zone for Jo Jingles (we are in N London) - any other ideas for good/fun singing opportunities for both a 6-year-old and 3-year-old (dd2 who follows, much less tunefully, in dd1's footsteps!!)? She did not enjoy the drama at Stagecoach (she wants to sing, for her love of singing, much more than 'perform')- do they do singing-only?

What about a child who loves to sing but hates the idea of being in a choir? I have one of those. He has enjoyed singing since he could talk.

I have been told he regularly broke into song in class all the way through primary school and is now doing the same in year 7 at secondary school, helped by his MP3 player.

He was always getting told off about it at primary school, but in the end I think his teachers tried to ignore it - they told me they had never been able to break his habit of singing at wildly inappropriate times.

Ds quite likes playing the tenor horn, but is not so keen on practising. He often sings at home, mimicing a range of voices. He goes to a youth theatre group and there is some singing involved, so at last he has an outlet. He refuses point blank to join any of the school choirs - despite promising his music teacher that he will. He says it is not cool and he'd prefer to spend his lunchtime playing football.

So don't be too surprised if your singing toddler doens't take to choirs or orgnised singing :)

See if there's something called Music Box or Colourstrings in your area. Music Box is music classes for 18 months - 5years and Colourstrings is a particular method of teaching music from 5 or 6 on but the two are connected. My almost 3 year old goes to a music box class and the teacher is so wonderful, I honestly can't praise her enough. It is so much more than just singing along to tapes of nursery rhymes. First of all, the teachers can actually sing (and I mean really sing, beautifully with or without music). The kids still think they are just singing fun songs and playing games and moving but the whole time they are being taught about pitch, rhythm, counting, rests and a whole range of musical concepts that they can carry forward if they really want to learn music when they're a bit older.