LET'S LEARN 4/4 TIME!

Toddlers learn about rhythm, beats, and notes.

In this book children are introduced to 4/4 time, usually associated with a marching beat. A group of animals in marching-band outfits invites readers to “Count out loud! / One! Two! Three! Four!” With a page turn, they are instructed to “Say aloud! / Alligator!”—this animal being a four-syllable animal. As the book progresses, two-syllable animals (“Lion! Tiger!”) and then one-syllable animals (“Fox! Cat! Rat! Bat!”) are presented. In addition, above each word there is a musical note (a whole note for the alligator, a half note for lion and tiger, and quarter notes for Fox, cat, rat, and bat), which, unless readers have a formal musical background, will not mean much. Rather surprisingly, the book ends with, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Readers will probably find the whole exercise a little befuddling. To add to this bewilderment, instructions on how to read the book are on the back cover—a place most readers typically overlook. There, aside from learning they must clap along with the syllables, they also learn what whole, half, and quarter notes are and what they look like. Companion books Let’s Learn 3/4 Time! and Let’s Learn 2/4 Time! follow the same format and presentation with a waltz and tango theme, respectively.

Sing, dance, clap, and enjoy music with baby. Just skip the book.