Using Musicals to Promote Language Development

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Once in a while a movie comes along that captures the attention and admiration of (almost) all who see it. Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this winter, you know Frozen was that movie this year. From the many, many renditions of Let It Go to the neurotic hunt of moms of young Frozen fans for Elsa costumes, the magic of this musical is contagious. As a parent of a young child, you can capitalize on their interest in sing-a-long movies by doing the following to encourage language development with your kids:

Read Lyrics Together

Reading lyrics can be be a great way to develop concept of word by pointing to words as you say them. Since the song will be a familiar text, kids don’t need to be able to read the words to be able to track the words.

Look for Patterns in the Lyrics

Print a copy of the lyrics or copy the lyrics onto large paper. Using a highlighter, have beginning readers highlight common sight words, rhymes, etc.

Act out Your Favorite Musicals

Act out your favorite scenes from family friendly musicals. Practicing the delivery of lines from movies can help develop fluency, build vocabulary, and increase comprehension. You might even create a stage curtain like this one to add some festivity to the experience! Head of to KLScrafts.com for full directions!