Rhythm and music Clare Walters Preschool children really enjoy musical games and activities.

The rhythm's going to get you

Clapping a rhythm - help your child recognise rhythms by clapping a simple one and asking him to clap it back to you.

Copy the tune - melodies can be taught in the same way, with you singing a short tune (only a few notes) to "la, la, la" and your child singing it back to you.

Mirroring - put on some music, stand opposite your child and ask him to mirror your actions (arms in the air, leaning to one side and so on). Then let him do some actions for you to copy.

Make a shaker - an old plastic drink bottle filled with dried rice, beans or pasta makes a great shaker to use while you're dancing. Make sure the lid is secure so you don't end up with rice everywhere.

Music pictures - play different types of music and let your child move a pencil around a piece of paper in a way that reflects what he's hearing.

If you can stand the noise, make a band

Shake, rattle and roll - if you can stand the noise, make a band. You could include a toy drum, a couple of different rattles, a tambourine made from a paper plate with circles of foil around the edge, and a couple of saucepan lids.

Use slow, gentle music to calm down a rowdy play session.

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