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.
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...
My 7 Top Tips to get the Most out of ‘Music Time’ With Your Baby
So you've made the awesome decision to introduce your baby to music activities, good for you! Now what? How does it all work? Imagine this scenario for a moment… You sit your baby down and you start your first music session together. You start singing and she looks...
“This Is The Way The Ladies Ride” – Free music for babies
This Is The Way The Ladies Ride is a knee-bounce rhyme. This style of activity is a great way for you to support you baby's developing body awareness and balance. The spoken word also encourages language development and bonding. Knee-bounce rhymes are also very good...
Make Instruments for Baby from Simple Household Items
It is tempting in today's world of "hyper consumerism" to buy everything new and shiny. Especially for our babies. I know that I have fallen prey to the “my baby deserves the best so I must buy it brand new” mentality on more than a few occasions. There are endless...
“Row, Row, Row Your Boat” – Free Music for Babies
This is a free music activity for you to enjoy with your baby. It's taken from my Music Activities for Babies 8 session program, Session 1 - "Over The Water" in which we explore songs and nursery rhymes about boats and water. Row, Row, Row Your Boat is a classic...
Introducing Art History to Young Children
Why introduce young children to art history? You may think toddlers and preschoolers are too young to be introduced to art history. How could a young child possibly understand and appreciate Vincent Van Gough’s ‘Starry Night’ if you aren’t sure that you do? The...