Toddler Songs with Soft and Loud: Learning About Opposites

Toddler Songs with Soft and Loud: Learning About Opposites
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Toddlers love to do things that are LOUD! These songs are great tools for learning about opposites and can help children understand the difference between “loud” and “soft.”

1-2-3-4 Cheer!

Say this song as a chant. Have children count from one to four, pausing after each number. When they pause, you say the second part of each line of the chant. As they get to the higher numbers, they should get louder and louder. This is a great game for the car on a nice day, with the windows wide open on the highway. It will teach kids how to switch back and forth between soft and loud voices over and over again.

One – you said that softly…

Two – a little bit louder…

Three – I still can’t hear you…

Four – That’s so loud!

Indoor Voices and Outdoor Voices

This song, sung to the tune of “London Bridge is Falling Down”, is an excellent way to teach the difference between indoor voices and outdoor voices for preschoolers. If possible, sing the song near a doorway. When you sing the first stanza, have all of the children stand right inside the doorway. When you sing the second stanza, have all of the children stand right outside of the doorway. Sing the first stanza very softly and the second stanza very loudly.

Indoor voices must be soft,

Must be soft, must be soft.

Indoor voices must be soft,

So I’ll hear you.

Outdoor voices can be LOUD!

Can be LOUD! Can be LOUD!

Outdoor voices can be LOUD!

So I’ll hear you.

Rockabye Baby

This song is perfect when a new baby is in the house. If your toddler has a hard time with the concept of soft and loud, you might spend the baby’s entire naptime struggling to keep your toddler quiet. This song can help. Sing it at a time when the baby is not napping. If your toddler enjoys dolls, have him rock a doll in his arms as you sing the song.

Rockabye baby,

Soft voices now.

Keep your voice soft

I know you know how.

Baby’s awake,

And Mommy’s so proud,

So now is the time

For [child’s name] to be LOUD!