Blog
Welcome to The Bubble Box Blog where you will find free activities and articles related to early childhood development and education with a focus on music and the creative arts. These articles are research and experience driven and authored by The Bubble Box Creator, Sarah Richard-Preston.
6 Pre-literacy Skills Your Child can Start Learning From Birth
Preparing your baby for school My “baby” started school this week. It seems like just yesterday that she really was a baby whom I held in my arms and who barely left my side. When I said goodbye at the door of her new classroom this morning all I could think was...
Give Your Baby the Gift of Music this Christmas
Baby's first Christmas is a very special time Is this your baby's first or maybe even second Christmas? This is an exciting time for you as a parent - sharing the magic of Christmas with your little one. I remember both of my children's first Christmases well. I...
To Market, To Market – Free music activity – nursery rhyme
Hi! I just wanted to share a fun, quick knee-bounce rhyme. This is taken from Session 3 of my Music Activities for Babies program here at The Bubble Box. If you enjoy this with your baby and would like to have access to many more activities like this one then signing...
Music Matters – How to Support Your Baby’s Musical Development
If I asked you to list the significant physical and language developmental milestones that your baby is progressing towards I’m sure that you could give me an answer without thinking twice... rolling, sitting, standing, walking...babbling, saying a few words,...
Fun with balloons – 4 creative arts activities for Preschoolers
Give a young child a balloon and they will play with it for a lot longer than most fancy toys. What is it about balloons that excite and engage them? Perhaps it’s because they're bright, light, bouncy and large - very peculiar properties when compared to most...
7 Tips for Talking to Your Baby and Building Intelligence Through Language
When dropping my 2-year-old off at daycare the other day the educator asked her for a hug, then smiled and looked up at me. "Oh I've missed her," she said, referring to the week before, which Miss 2 had off due to illness. "She and I have the best conversations". I...
“A song I made up…” – Letter to the Editor
A few weeks ago I posted an article with some advice on why you should sing to your baby every day. I received a wonderful email response from Bubble Box mum Jacqui that I just have to share with you, with her permission of course! I absolutely love hearing mums'...
Immerse your child in the arts with Out of the Box Festival in Brisbane
This is just a quick post today for parents in Brisbane to tell you about the upcoming Out of the Box Festival for 2014. Picture this - your baby is exploring a safe and special play space immersed in dance and music, your child co-creating an eye-catching large-scale...
“Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, We’re Going To The Moon” – Free music for babies
This is a "lap play" taken from Session 2 of my music activities for babies program here at The Bubble Box. In Session 2 we explore all kinds of fun songs. rhymes and dances around the theme "Sun, Moon and Stars". What to Do Place baby on your lap facing you and rock...
Do Re Mi (Solfège and Hand Signs) – What is it and why teach it to young children?
In Sessions 1 and 2 of my program of music activities for babies, I show you how to share Solfège (or Do, Re, Mi) with your baby. But unless you have a musical background (beyond a vague recollection of learning Do, Re, Mi during primary school...
5 Fascinating Facts Every Parent Should Know About Baby’s Brain Development
There's much more going on inside your baby's brain than you ever imagined possible! The new idea in brain research is that there's a "big bang" in learning and it happens in the first 2000 days of life. What happens in those first 5 years stays with baby for...
World Turtle Day – Say hello to Tiny Tim in “I Had A Little Turtle”
It's World Turtle Day! (Who would have thought? Seems everything has 'its day' nowadays.) I immediately thought of this little rhyme, "I Had A Little Turtle", a children's ryhme about a little turtle called Tiny Tim finds himself in a bath tub and ends up having a...
Bubble Wrap Dancing and Printing – Music and Art Activities for Toddlers
Although I have dedicated my site and program to babies music activities, I will also be posting blogs with music, visual art and play activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers from time to time. If your bub doesn't have an older sibling you might like to share these...
Happy Mother’s Day – Fancy a Musical Present? 20 Coupons for Free Access to my Music for Babies up for Grabs
Happy Mothers' Day to all my fellow mums out there. I hope you've all been spoilt and received plenty of cuddles and "I love you's" from your little cherubs. A special mention goes out to all of the new mums too. There are probably quite of few of you who are...
7 Powerful Reasons Why You Should Sing to Your Baby Every Day
There are just so many fantastic reasons to sing to your baby every day. Research has shown that there are many benefits of exposing babies to music. Here are my top 7 reasons why singing to your baby every day is a win-win, for you and your baby to "make the...