Nursery World - A Unique Child: Music

‘Mood music’ offers a playful and contained way to begin to give shape and expression to what may be difficult emotional experiences for young children. Community musician and trainer Bill Roberts presents songs and ways of using instruments to support emotional development

We have no choice about how we feel, but we can choose whether to dismiss or address our feelings – and those of the children that we work with.

The ability to acknowledge and make sense of what we, and others, are feeling is often referred to as ‘emotional intelligence’ – an idea introduced by Daniel Goleman in a book of that name – and should form a natural part of child-centred practice.

So, do you tend to ignore your own and children's difficult emotions through distracting practical tasks? Or do you try to find words, music, movement, art or other experiences that give expression to feelings and help provide a better understanding of them?

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