Nursery World - Learning & Development: Music

Less may be more when you choose instruments for music sessions, says Steve Grocott.

One of the things that people most often ask for help with in music is how to use instruments with children, so here are a few ideas:

- Don't be afraid to actually choose the instruments that you give the children to play, particularly inside, where quieter types of instrument such as shakers, scrapers, and small tambourines may be best.

- Leave the louder instruments for outside, though even there, quieter instruments are the better option for adult-led sessions. Alternatively, modify how they are played. Drums are much quieter if played with hands rather than beaters.

- Don't forget about 'pretend' instruments. They can be very effective, as children love to strum along on pretend guitars, made from bats, and a beater makes a very good pretend microphone.

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