Music for different moments
Choose a song for a game, a journey or the end of a busy day.
It can help to choose music for a particular activity instead of leaving the same station on all day. A song with a clear beat and a familiar refrain can work for a movement game. For drawing, try a gentler melody if it does not distract the child from their own idea.
On a journey, agree in advance who will choose the next station and when you will have a quiet break. Taking turns with different preferences can make listening a shared activity. If a story begins, consider whether there is time to hear its ending. Sometimes it is easier to save an unfinished story for another occasion.
In the evening, the individual child's response matters more than the channel's name. A song that sounds calm to an adult may still make a child want to dance and sing along. Try ending the music with a clear action: one favourite song, a short conversation or switching off the sound. There is no promise that a radio stream on its own will help everyone settle down.
Keep listening
Choose a station with your child: songs, stories or something quieter. Take a look at the broadcaster's programme before you listen together. Choose a station.