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If you're working in early childhood, or with kids, tweens, teens, or young adults in special education - you probably already know the value of regularly incorporating books into your classroom or sessions! They add visual cues, promote literacy, teach story and theme, the list goes on! Add MUSIC to some of those books, and watch engagement rise!!
While you read, play and sing you may address:
reading and pre-reading goals!
communication/language!
social emotional learning and interaction!
fine motor!
"wh" questions!
identifying characters, items, colors, shapes, and more!
Ready-to-Sing Books!
I've created a list (linked at the bottom of this page) of over 75 singable picture books (aka books that follow a song)!
One page is a list of books for kids in early childhood and elementary school! Another page includes a list of books that are great for teens and young adults in special education.
Printable Books
When I couldn't find the right book, I created original songs (dozens of them!) to address a variety of goals, and designed printable books to go along with them! Like,
Sight Words Songs
Check out my Reading and Language Bundle for 3 singable books that are packed with sight words from either Dolch sight word list or Fry's first 100!
Social Emotional Learning Songs
Find printable books in the Friends and Feelings Bundle for songs like "Sometimes I Feel Angry" or "All I Have to Do Is Breathe"
Academic and Life Skills Songs
Or books to address academic or life skills, like Seasons Come and Go for learning seasons in the Science Bundle, or In My Town for learning places in the community in the Community Bundle!
Suddenly Singable Books
The next page is list of what I call "suddenly singable" books (aka great picture books that aren't yet set to a song, so I've written my own melodies for them), like this MUSICAL reading of the classic children's book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle!
Each of the "suddenly singable" books on my list includes a link to a video demo of the songs I've written to go along with them!
Have a book you love that isn't on the list? Here are some tips to...
Create Your OWN Suddenly-Singable Books
Find a book with meter and rhyme! No existing melody? NO PROBLEM!
Pair a familiar melody with the text (think, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star or The Farmer in the Dell) or write a simple original melody. Repeat the melody as you "sing" the text word for word!
You can see how I've done that with the "You're My Little..." series, by simply singing the text to the tune of Row, Row, Row Your Boat OR Mary Had a Little Lamb HERE
But what if you have a great picture book that doesn't have meter or rhyme... NO PROBLEM!
Here are a few ways to add music!
Find a theme or repeated phrase from the book, OR create your own. Add a melody to that phrase, and repeat it throughout the book (i.e. after each page turn) like I did in The Very Hungry Caterpillar or here with the book Bear Feels Scared!
Pair instruments with characters in the story! Play the respective instruments each time the character appears!
Add body percussion (clap, snap, pat your knees...) to keep a steady beat together as you read. Create a simple rhythm to repeat for each page turn, or change the beat each time you turn a page!
Want to grab some of the new books you're loving??? Check out the Amazon list I've created to make your life easier! Just throw your favorites in your cart (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases)!
Click here to join my FREE RESOURCE email list (where you'll find tips, free downloads and more!), and get your FREE 2024 Singable Books List in the welcome email!!