Older babies and toddlers can be encouraged to exercise their bodies in musical activities.
Stretching rhymes
Stretch, stretch, stretching out,
Stretch our arms together
Stretch, stretch, stretching out,
Stretch our legs together.
Like any rhyme, you may find another melody you know also fits and sounds right with the words.
Changing speeds
Encourage toddlers to bounce up and down steadily for the first part of this traditional rhyme, then faster for the second. A mini-trampoline is ideal.
As I was walking down the street,
Down the street, down the street,
A friend of mine I chanced to meet,
Hey ho, hey ho, hey ho.
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