Why you should create a song board in your setting
Song boards are a brilliant and simple resource that can be used across the ages in the EYFS. A song board can be made in a variety of ways using a large piece of card, covering in sticky back plastic, adding a section for the song that is being sung and rows of velcro. Add song widget cards to the velcro and then allow a child at a time to choose a widget card, pull it off and stick it in the song being sung section. You may choose to add strips of velcro to the back on the song board so you can rotate nursery rhymes daily or once a song has been singing you can move the card to the back so it isn’t chosen again. This is very effective and means you don’t end up singing twinkle twinkle little star 10 times. Some settings prefer not to remove the card once it has been sung as this means children can’t choose the song that is their favourite, the one they are interested in or the one they really want. It is down to you as a setting to choose which works best for you.
Some settings choose to make the song board more complex by having various backgrounds to support each song, for example, a Humpty dumpty scene and wall or a lake with 5 little ducks. This can work well for creating more understanding about the song itself, however, it can become time-consuming changing the boards around and also cause some distraction from the actual singing itself. Again it is up to each setting to discover what works best. To help get you started with your song board why not visit purchase these nursery rhymes cards
What are the benefits of having a song board?
Song boards have many benefits this includes:
- Inclusive – Song boards mean every child will get to choose a song rather than the few loud vocal children who will shout out songs before other quieter children have had a chance
- Engaging – Makes song time more engaging as children can visually see what song is being sung and want to have their turn at choosing a song card
- Gives everyone a voice – This allows everyone to have choice and means children who can’t verbally communication can still communicate their preference of song
- Display interests – A great way to discover what interests a child, for example, the same child may always choose old McDonald, you may then decide to plan and extend from this observation and plan some farm animal activities.
- Support understanding – The widget card alone is enough to support understanding about the songs as for example baa baa woolly sheep will have an image of a sheep on it.
- Develop language- A simple way to help develop children’s language, children may point to a picture, it is then the adult’s role to repeat what the word is eg duck
Why not share pictures of your song board with us