Cup Choir and Vocal Harmony Intro

Nothing — just 2 or more voices willing to sing

Start by singing "Row Row Row Your Boat" together in unison — everyone singing the same words at the same time. Get it solid and confident.

Explain what a round is: the same song sung at different starting times. One person starts, and another person begins the same song a few beats later.

You start singing. When you reach "gently down the stream," point to your child to begin singing from "Row row row your boat."

Both keep singing simultaneously. You'll be on different parts of the song at the same time. The overlapping notes create harmony.

If two-part works, try adding a third singer who starts even later. Three-part rounds are magical.

Try other rounds: "Frere Jacques," "London Bridge Is Falling Down," or "Are You Sleeping?"

Talk about what happened: "When our voices overlapped, did you hear how the notes blended? That's harmony."

The hardest part is NOT following the other person. Your child will instinctively want to sync up. Encourage them to focus only on their own part and trust the overlap.

Start with just the two of you. When your child can hold their part against one other voice, add a third. Baby steps.

Rounds are the simplest form of harmony and the gateway to understanding choral music, barbershop quartets, and vocal arrangements.

Record your round on a phone and play it back. Hearing yourself singing in harmony for the first time is a genuinely thrilling experience.

If your child enjoys this, search for kid-friendly rounds online. There are hundreds of songs specifically written to be sung as rounds.

The cognitive load of maintaining your own vocal line while hearing someone else's is a serious brain workout. It strengthens auditory processing and focus.