Sing Songs to Teach Turn Taking

You can teach children turn taking through songs even before they can talk!

All you have to do is give your child the opportunity to participate.

Step 1: Choose Your Goals

Choose your goals based on your child's stage of development.

If your child isn't yet using sounds intentionally, your goal will be to get him to use more sounds.

If your child isn't yet using words, your goal will be to get him to use single words.

If your child communicates in short phrases, you goal will be to get him to use full sentences.

Step 2: Choose A Familiar Song

Choose a song that your child knows well. If he is familiar with the words, he is more likely to sing with you.

Try to think of songs with movements or gestures to make the activity more engaging for your child.

Step 3: Pick Your Child's Turns

Pause while you are singing to let your child take a turn.

A good time for your child to take his turn is during the "high" or most exciting parts of the song.

Here are some examples:

The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and.....(pause)

Row, row, row your .....(pause), gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a ....(pause).

Twinkle twinkle little ....(pause), how I wonder what you ...(pause). Up above the world so ...(pause) like a diamond in the ...(pause).