Are you looking for fun and simple ways to make deeper connections with families? Learning what families enjoy outside of school helps educators and caregivers to establish more personal connections. A fun question to pose to parents is to ask what music they enjoy listening to with their children at home. This simple conversation starter is a great way to incorporate some of children’s home practices into your classroom.
There are many ways to ask parents this question. If you use an app to communicate with parents, you might consider sending a message and allowing parents to answer when they get a chance. In doing so, it might also be beneficial to share with families some of the songs that the children enjoy singing in the classroom.
If chalkboards or bulletin boards are used in your center for quick messages to parents, you could also simply write the question on the message board and place it near the sign-in/sign-out sheet to ensure that it doesn’t get missed.
One of the most important parts of asking parents to share is letting them know that you incorporated their feedback into your classroom routine. You might do this with a simple check-in at the end of the day, to let parents know that you played one of their favorite songs and that the children enjoyed dancing along. Sending an email with a photo or video of children dancing to the music is also a great way for parents to see that you listened to what they shared.
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These small acts help to create a partnership with parents and keep families engaged in your program. Parents love to feel like they were considered in your planning of curriculum, and bringing their music into your classroom is a simple way to include them in their child’s day.
