Time to Sleep, Time to Wake Up

Once again singing at the family care center room. Young kids, 1-4. Chaos. A certain amount of stress. I’m singing some, letting kids strum my guitar, telling them to be gentle, passing around rhythm instruments.
A song evolves. I’ve known for years how young kids love to play what I call “Sleep, Wake Up!” The basic idea is that I tell kids, or they tell me, to sleep, and then wake up. It’s endlessly amusing to pretend to drift off to sleep and then be startled awake by their desperate and joyful call to “Wake Up.”
And so this song adds to the game. You can substitute ‘sleep’ for ‘doze’ ‘nap’ “snore’ or anything else that comes to mind.
The song is also a reminder of the importance of building executive function. The way kids choose where to put their attention. In my experience, children love the opportunity to pay attention, if it’s fun. The intensity of their eyes and posture as they wait for the next cue. Time to sleep? When when when when wait for it…time to wake up.

Once again a minor feeling helps this song along.

They don’t come much simpler than this.

Time to Sleep
Time to Wake Up.