My 5 top tips for running a ‘Music Time’ in the EYFS

1. Start by choosing songs you already know!

Why?  It will boost your confidence with running a music time. You know the words and tune already so you can just go ahead and teach the song/rhyme!

What? These can be nursery rhymes or well-known children’s songs or rhymes

2. Learn each song/rhyme for a maximum of  5-8 minutes in one sitting!

I have found that children lose interest if you spend longer than 5- 8 minutes learning a song.  It is also the most beneficial in terms of retention of the song/rhyme for another day.  Just focus on one aspect in that time: learning the rhyming word at the end of a phrase, repetitive words in a phrase or the answer in a 'question and answer' song/rhyme 

3.  Make it relevant to your current topic

By making the songs, rhymes and listening activities relevant to your topic you can extend the children’s learning.  First of all, write down every song/rhyme and piece of music that you can think of that would link to the topic. Then for inspiration look on the internet, songbooks, CDs or look on my website at my current 'Music Time' song/rhyme plans.

4. Make the sessions dynamic!

Don't be static for the whole ‘Music Time’ be dynamic! There should be elements of sitting, standing and moving!  To do this include action rhymes, movement songs and moving to music.  Again, for the listening to music element, I choose topic related music which the children can approach in different ways: moving, drawing/painting, just listening in a sensory environment.

5 Be prepared! 

If the songs are new to you learn them yourself before teaching the children.  That way you can be enthusiastic, confident and lead the children. Have all your props and instruments at hand.  I put them in the order that we are going to learn them so that I rarely refer back to my plan when teaching.