You Are All the Musician the Children Need; Scrap the Video!

This may seem a little controversial as many people love to use videos and recordings with the children in their early years setting BUT all the children really need in their music time is you to be their musical stimulus, not a children's themed YouTube channel!

I am not saying recorded music doesn't have a place, as it is fantastic for children to hear different genres of music that they may not hear otherwise, BUT using recordings/videos as the main focus for children's music experience is NOT beneficial to them.  They need you to be their stimulus through songs, rhymes, fun music games, and even when listening to music.  This is so that they can easily access the ideas and then replicate/explore/experiment with them independently.

Their independent music-making is an important part of their musical development, whether that be through a music/performing area or just a little area on the floor.  The stimulus for this area works best if it is an extension of what you have been doing in your music time.  This ensures all children, no matter their prior music experience, are able to access your music/performing area with ideas they can explore.  For example, props from a song that you've been singing; instruments that you have been creating a sound effect to go with a song or book; a musical device that plays the music they heard in their music time, and some of the scarves you were dancing with.  This enables children to have a stimulus to be expressive and creative by expanding or changing ideas.  You may see them put a new twist on an action or dance move, or even change the words to a song they heard in the whole group music time!

If you would like to learn more. Take a look at my EYMI membership which is full of ideas, inspiration and training to develop your PDP.

Happy music making!

Anne