Want to start incorporating more musical activities into your childcare routine? Kids of all ages love music, and it's a great way to connect with little ones who struggle with words or speak a different language. Musical activities are simple to set up and easy to slot into the rest of your day, so they won't take much planning.

Keep reading for three fun ways to introduce music to the kids you look after.

Play Musical Statues

This is a really fun way for kids to let off some steam, learn to follow instructions, and enjoying moving to different types of music. Put together a mixed CD and encourage kids to dance, jump and sway in time to the rhythm.

Tell the kids that when you pause the music, they need to freeze and stand completely still, just like statues. Pause periodically and walk around the room to check everyone's statue performance - and try not to giggle!

This is a great activity for bad weather, as it gets kids moving without them having to go outside.

Make Your Own Instruments

This is a really fun, interactive way to get kids excited about making their own music.

Teach kids to make a 'guitar' by stretching rubber bands over a tissue box, a 'drum' by covering a tin can with a piece of baking paper, and shakers by filling containers with dried rice, beans, or lentils.

Encourage them to play their instruments separately and in groups to achieve different sounds. Let them experiment with different sized elastic bands, different sizes of cans, and different numbers of dried beans to create unique sounds.

Ask lots of questions and get the kids to actively think about what they're doing and how it affects the final sound.

Use a Tidy Up Song

Want to fit a little music into every single day, and make tidy up time less painful? Make up your own tidying song, or find one on a CD or tape, then teach it to your little ones.

Encourage them to sing as they complete tasks like putting toys away, pushing their chairs in, and tidying up play areas. To speed things up, make a game of trying to finish all the tidying before you reach the end of the song. Many kids respond well to musical cues, so this is a great way to persuade reluctant children to get involved.

Want to start using music to entertain the kids you look after? Try these fun suggestions.