Submitted by Kristin Lukow, Nebraska

Idea posted January 11, 2002

There are SO many things I do...

  1. We warm up with silly sounds - a totally non-threatening way to experiment with your voice and make it do amazing things!
    • Lots of "Yoo-hoo's" higher and higher!
    • "Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty."
    • Someone on the list suggested saying "Ho-Ho-Ho" like Santa and then like his elves - way up high. This has been wonderful for me.
    • Sirens or echoing me with sounds like the wind!
  2. Sometimes we sing the high part of a song an octave lower just to see if we can do it and then move it up by half steps.
  3. I have them echo me - Opera Style! They love this because it takes the "seriousness" out of it. They think it's so funny, and I love to hear them access their head voice. Plus, they use lots of support to sing that way.
  4. I also have them lay on the floor and echo me solfège style. They keep their hands on their bellies and feel the rise and fall.
  5. Encouragement!!! I can't say enough about this. Some of my boys are so proud to be good singers now, but this is after years of encouragement! My motto at school is, "If you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing." A saying from Zimbabwe. They are starting to believe me! (Now to work on their parents!)

These are just some ideas. I am constantly looking for ways to get these guys to connect with their singing voices AND to feel good and confident with it!