Red Wiggle Caterina Mete reveals how music can help kids get ready for school

New mum to twins, Red Wiggle Caterina Mete, has shared some tricks to help Aussie parents get their children ready for the big transition to a classroom.

She’s entertained Aussie kids for two decades as part of The Wiggles, most recently wearing the red jersey, but now Caterina Mete is using those skills with a smaller audience, much closer to home: her twin girls Dolly and Gigi.

Life is busy as a mother and a performer, but for the Wiggles shows in Brisbane on Sunday, and then in Canberra next Saturday, Ms Mete will be able to bring her little girls with her.

“I’m so blessed that I work in a place that is for children. I’m lucky that my children can grow up surrounded by music,” she said.

“Every morning we sing songs, we listen to music.”

Having worked with The Wiggles for two decades, Ms Mete understands how important rhythm and melody are to young children.

“You see them react to songs and sounds. You can see things like turning their heads when they hear music, or kicking their legs along to the music, smiling, giggling – all those things that children go through,” she said.

Red Wiggle Caterina Mete with her daughters Dolly And Gigi, 5 months, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston

The Wiggles focus on ‘edutainment’, producing music that is “engaging for children and parents,” said Ms Mete.

Hits such as Fruit Salad (Yummy Yummy), are “about fruit in a fun way,” she said.

“We’re not saying you must eat fruit, it’s producing a song where children want to eat fruit because the song’s great.”

Now The Wiggles are bringing that same sense of fun to another big issue for kids: the transition to school.

The Wiggles' Caterina Mete held up two mini costumes when she revealed she is pregnant with identical twin girls.

A recent study of 5000 families in partnership with early learning centre Young Academics has highlighted parental concerns about whether their children are socially and emotionally ready for school, with 42 per cent saying their child struggled with the transition.

The Wiggles have partnered with Young Academics to boost their existing daily play-based curriculum to help ease that change.

The course will “enrich the sensory and social experiences of our children, making learning more interactive, inclusive, and fun,” said Jenni Gaffney, director of Young Academics.

And music is a big part of the program.

Music “helps build routines, fosters emotional regulation, and encourages social interactions,” Ms Gaffney said.

Caterina Mete with her twins Dolly and Gigi, who wiggled their way into the world on June 25.

Ms Mete shares the sentiment.

“We can give music and songs, but in the end, the parent will decide if they feel their child is ready for school, and hopefully going through programs like Young Academics, a parent will feel more confident that their child is ready,” she said.

With Dolly and Gigi now six months old, that moment is still a fair way off.

Asked about the hardest part of motherhood, Ms Mete said it “definitely has its challenges, but it’s been beautiful as well”.

“Sometimes it’s just getting out the door with my two children,” she said.

Originally published as Red Wiggle Caterina Mete reveals how music can help kids get ready for school