For thousands of years, music has been a part of young children’s lives. Babies and toddlers have been soothed by adults singing to them. Families would entertain each other and their friends by singing and making music. Today, some children have rich musical experiences. They may see members of their family singing or playing instruments. Some children are taken to hear live music.
Other children might not have these opportunities and so it is worth considering how we might plan a range of musical experiences for children. As well as the developmental benefits of such experiences, music should also be enjoyed for its own sake as it is a powerful medium.
BENEFITS
As with many of the ‘essential experiences’ we are looking at, music has many potential benefits that can be linked to the early years curriculum.
Social development Musical experiences are great at helping children connect with each other and for them to feel part of a group in an enjoyable way.
Emotional development Music has the power to touch the soul and therefore can help children to express their emotions. Through music, children can also learn to talk about how they are feeling and to choose music that matches their mood.
Language development Some elements of music such as nursery rhymes can encourage babies and toddlers to vocalise, while nursery rhymes are great for supporting older children’s speech sounds. In addition, some musical experiences will generate plenty of questions as well as give children opportunities to learn specific vocabulary such as ‘loud’, ‘soft,’ ‘beat’ and ‘rhythm’.
Physical skills Some musical experiences such as dancing can enhance children’s co-ordination and activity levels. Even playing simple percussion instruments can encourage children’s hand-eye co-ordination.
Mathematics It is well-known that music and mathematics are linked. This is because music has mathematical elements within it, including patterns and sequences. Interestingly, young children are often quick to hear these, which is why they often move so rhythmically.
Creativity One of the striking things about young children who have been introduced to music is the way that they can quickly adapt and invent. You may hear children create new words to tunes that they like or explore sounds that they can make with objects they have to hand.
PLANNING A PROGRAMME
If you wish to plan a programme, you could consider dividing musical experiences into categories.
Opportunities for live music
Some children have never heard live music apart from singing sessions in the early years setting. Watching someone play an instrument or hearing a choir is quite an experience for young children. Think about people who you could invite into your setting to play in front of children. This might include older children who are learning an instrument, as well as amateur groups and professional musicians. It may be that some parents or friends of parents play instruments.
Ideally, it would be fantastic if, over time, children had seen several different types of instruments, as well as heard a range of singing styles. Look also for opportunities to take the children out in your local community.
Opportunities to sing
You might also like to think about the range of opportunities for children to sing in your setting. While nursery rhymes are a good starting point, think also about introducing other styles of songs to broaden children’s knowledge of music, including songs from around the world.
Opportunities to make music
Children need time to explore what they can do with musical instruments, but it is also worth planning activities that will help them to join in and play together. If you are not a musician, don’t worry – there are quite a few resources to give you ideas. Look at 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children by Abigail Flesch Connors (Gryphon House).
Opportunities to respond to music
You could also think about the range of music that you put on for children to listen to or to dance to. When it comes to musical tastes, anything goes (apart from songs with bad language). Variety is everything and children will benefit from hearing a wide range of genres, which might include jazz and samba, as well as Bollywood music.
HOME LEARNING
Many parents might not realise the significance of music in stimulating young children. A good starting point is to ask parents about the music that they enjoy at home and how their child reacts to it (we might even find through our discussions some hidden talents among parents!).
We can also share tips with parents about how music can take the tension out of everyday routines, such as getting dressed or ready for bed. We can also signpost parents to free music events in the local area, such as bands in the park or nursery rhyme sessions in the library.
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