Teaching with Music
- Lisa Boeglin
- Aug 19
- 6 min read
Are you a musician? Do you like to sing karaoke? Can you sing on pitch and actually sound good? I answer “no” to all of those questions—and I think I’m probably not alone. But that doesn’t stop me. If a John Mellencamp song comes on the car radio, I’m belting it out like I’m on stage. I do love to sing, even if the idea of an audience makes me nervous.
Here’s the thing: kids don’t care how you sound. They just love to sing—and they especially love it when adults sing with them. Even though I’m not confident in my own singing voice, I always look for ways to weave music into my teaching. The funny thing is, kids think I’m a rockstar.
There are so many proven benefits to using music with young children. Music helps with memory and recall—melodies and rhythms make facts “stick” in the brain. The repetition in songs strengthens retention, and kids (and adults) often remember lyrics far better than they remember spoken words. That’s why jingles work so well in advertising—we hum the tune long after we’ve forgotten the product details.
Music provides full engagement for most students. Music engages different areas of the brain and addresses multiple learning domains. Music combines auditory, language, motor, and social-emotional learning. Children increase vocabulary and sharpen skill in phonemic awareness when hearing rhyming words and lyrical phrases. When we add motions to songs, it becomes even more powerful. Movement helps kinesthetic learners absorb and remember information, and it boosts attention and comprehension for everyone. It is especially effective if the motions “cross the midline”.
What Is Crossing the Midline? Crossing the midline is something we do every day without even realizing it. The midline is just an imaginary line that runs down the center of your body, from your head to your toes. When we say “crossing the midline,” we mean using one side of your body to reach across to the other side. For example, if you use your right hand to touch your left foot, or draw a big circle that goes from one side of the page to the other, or even pass a toy from one hand to the other in front of you—that’s crossing the midline!
Why Is It Important? This kind of movement is really important for development. It helps the two sides of the brain work together, which supports coordination, balance, and problem-solving skills. Crossing the midline also plays a big role in reading and writing. Kids need to move their eyes smoothly across the page from left to right, and being able to cross the midline helps with that. It also helps develop strong motor skills, core strength, and hand dominance—things kids need for everyday tasks like tying their shoes or catching a ball. Plus, movement activities that involve crossing the midline—like dances, action songs, or simple games—can actually boost memory and focus. They’re great to include during circle time or as energizing wiggle breaks!
Music naturally brings joy into the classroom. Songs make learning fun and playful, which helps reduce stress and boredom. When kids are enjoying themselves, they’re more likely to join in, stay focused, and stay curious. Singing also supports language development in a big way. Through rhythm, rhyme, and repetition, children are exposed to rich vocabulary and practice things like pronunciation and fluency without even realizing it. Music is also a wonderful tool for social and emotional growth. Singing together encourages cooperation, builds confidence, and creates a sense of community. And because lyrics often include positive messages, kids learn about empathy and values, too. Best of all, music helps connect the dots between different subjects—whether it’s singing about bats, planets, numbers, or history, songs make learning across the curriculum feel seamless and engaging.
Best of all, music bridges subjects. You can use songs to explore science, social studies, math, and reading—whether you’re singing about bats, planets, numbers, or historical figures, songs help tie everything together in a way that sticks.
Because of this, I’m always searching for—or writing—songs and chants to support whatever we’re learning. I often set new lyrics to familiar tunes so they’re easy to learn and remember. I like to display the words for my readers and visual learners—on a chart, a screen, or in a small handout or booklet. I’ve used all three at different times, and sometimes all at once!
Here’s how I like to teach a new song: First, I sing the whole thing myself while the kids follow along. Then I sing one line, and they repeat after me. We keep going line by line until we’ve sung the whole song. Finally, we put it all together and sing it from beginning to end. There are lots of ways to teach a song, but this method works well for me.
Have fun with it! Watch how music lights up your classroom and lifts your learners. I’ve included some bat-themed songs to get you started. Don’t be afraid to change the lyrics to suit your style—make them your own!
🦇 Bat Songs and Poems with Motions
🎵 I'm a Little Bat
(To the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little bat, black and small, I hang upside down on my cave wall. When the moon is out, I fly and screech, Looking for bugs that I can reach!
Motions:
Curl into a ball for “little bat”
Pretend to hang upside down with arms above head
Flap arms like wings for flying
Cup hands around mouth and screech
🌟 Bats Are Not So Scary
(To the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”)
Bats are flying in the night, Zooming left and zooming right. Using sound to find their way, Catching insects every day. Bats aren’t scary—just you see, They’re good for nature—you and me!
Motions:
Flap arms like wings (flying bats)
Point left and right (zooming)
Cup hands around ears (echolocation)
Pretend to snatch bugs from the air
🐛 Bug-Eating Bat
(To the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)
If you’re a bat and you know it, eat a bug! Crunch, crunch! If you’re a bat and you know it, eat a bug! Crunch, crunch! If you’re a bat and you know it, and you really want to show it, If you’re a bat and you know it, eat a bug! Crunch, crunch!
More verses:
Flap your wings! Flap flap!
Hang upside down! Wheee!
Motions:
Pretend to chomp (eating a bug)
Flap arms
Bend over and let arms dangle (hanging upside down)
🔊 Echolocation Song
(To the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The bat in the cave goes screech, screech, screech
Screech, screech, screech, screech, screech, screech.
The bat in the cave goes screech, screech, screech
All night long!
Extra verses:
The sound bounces back—ping, ping, ping
The bat eats bugs—chomp, chomp, chomp
Motions:
Cup hands and call out (squeak)
Tap chest when sound “bounces” back (ping)
Pretend to eat (chomp bugs)
🎤 Bat Facts Rap
(Chant it with rhythm and body percussion!)
Bats are mammals, just like me, Furry and warm and wild and free. Hang upside down, sleep through the day, Then flap, flap, flap and fly away!
Some eat bugs and some eat fruit, Some drink nectar—oh, how cute! Don’t be scared, they won’t attack, They’re friendly flyers—cut them some slack!
Motions:
Hug self for “warm and furry”
Pretend to hang upside down
Flap arms
Pretend to eat or sip nectar
Hold hand out to calm (cut them some slack
🦇Bat Habits Song (to the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell”)
Bats fly at night; Bats fly at night.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Bats fly at night.
Bats eat bugs; Bats eat bugs.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Bats eat bugs.
Bats pollinate; Bats pollinate.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Bats pollinate.
Bats hang upside down; Bats hang upside down.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Bats hang upside down.
Baby bats drink milk; Baby bats drink milk.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Baby bats drink milk.
Bats screech and chirp; Bats screech and chirp.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Bats screech and chirp.
Bats use echolocation; Bats use echolocation.
Yes, they do! Yes they do!
Bats use echolocation.
💡How do I know?
(To the tune of “Frere Jacques”)
This is a call and response song. Students take turns supplying the detail in the bold line. They can select from the additional lines below or make up their own line.
It’s a bat.
It’s a bat.
How do I know?
How do I know?
It hangs upside down.
It hangs upside down.
It must be so.
It must be so.
Additional lines/verses:
It eats a lot of bugs.
It uses echolocation.
It knows its baby’s voice.
It knows its mother’s scent.
It lives in a cave.
It hunts and flies at night.
It pollinates plants.
