VCU Training And Technical Assistance Center
10 East Franklin Street, Suite 200
Richmond, Va 23284-3081
804-827-9976
Musical Concepts and Expression
“Music is combing voice,
instrumental or mechanical
sounds to create melody,
rhythm, or harmony”
-(Dodge, Colker, & Her0man, 2002)
Learning Objectives
 Discover strategies for introducing musical
instruments in a group setting
 Develop ideas to use music in the classroom in
developmentally appropriate ways
 Explore different types of music to use with
musical instruments
 Explore ideas for making musical instruments
and Have fun!
Getting Started…
 Young children are
not music critics!
 You look and
sound a lot more
stupid when you
worry about how
you look and
sound!
Music & Brain Research
 All early sounds, including music & rhythms, play
profound effect in shaping the brain.
 When music resonates with our body rhythms, it is a
powerful influence on our alertness and our ability to
learn.
 Most classical music is in tune with our body
rhythms.
 Research suggests that listening to music during the
first 3 years of life helps the brain form patterns that
are essential to the learning process.
 The brain adapts easily during the early years, so a
wide variety of music should be introduced.
Music in Early Childhood
Classrooms

The goal of
music in ECE
classrooms is to
help children
develop a
positive
disposition for
music.
Beliefs Behind a Child-Centered
Music Curriculum
 All children have musical potential.
 Children bring unique interests & abilities to the
music learning environment.
 Very young children can develop critical thinking
skills through music activities.
 Children come to music experiences from diverse
backgrounds.
 Children should experience exemplary musical
sounds, activities, and materials.
Beliefs behind a Child-Centered
Music Curriculum
(cont.)
 Children should not be encumbered with
the need to meet performance goals.
 Children learn best in pleasant
environments.
 Diverse learning environments are needed
to serve the developmental needs of
individual children.
 Children need effective adult models.
Stages in the Development of
Music
 I can listen to the music.
 I can respond to music with my body.
 I can create music.
 I can understand music.
 I can write music.
 I can play music.
Critical Issues in Using Music
 Developmentally
Appropriate
 Pleasurable
 Varied
 Individual and
Social
 Integrated
Benefits of Using Musical
Instruments with Young Children
 Using musical instruments builds and
develops listening skills
 Allows children to experience rhythms
 Children can classify and discriminate
between sounds
 Allows children to explore and be
creative
Motor Development
 Children develop
motor skills when
they strike the keys
on a xylophone,
dance to lively music,
or play a kazoo.
 These activities
involve the practice
of large and small
muscle control.
Social Skills and Cultural
Awareness
 Music encourages
participation,
sharing, and
cooperation.
 Music is part of
early bonding.
 Music is part of
the culture of
childhood.
Aesthetic Development
 How does the music
make us feel?
 What do we hear in
the music?
 How can we express
the music?
 Why do we respond
the way we do to
music?
Cognitive & Language
Development
 Comparison
 Directional Words
 Self expression
 Developing
preferences &
making choices
 Increased vocabulary
 Recognizing patterns
 Musical activities that
relate to story reading
can focus children’s
attention
 Children learn
awareness of the
components of music:
melody, pitch, rhythm,
tempo, dynamics and
timbre.
Getting Started with Musical
Instruments
 Music experiences must be matched to children’s
developmental needs
 Start with the teacher using one musical instrument
as an auditory prop
 Introduce one instrument at a time at circle time; talk
about safety and taking care of the instruments.
 Add the prop(s) to a designated shelf in your
classroom
 Let children explore and experiment!
Continuing with Musical
Instruments
 Everyone wants a turn!
 How many musical instruments do you have in
your classroom?
 What types of musical instruments do you
have ?
 Start by designating a “music center” in your
classroom
 Move it outside! Playground Parade
Whole Group Music Activities
 Have children “vote” on their favorite musical
instrument (graph as a math activity).
 Using homemade instruments
 Begin with familiar songs and music
 If you have limited instrument have ½ of your
group use an instrument and the other
½ a scarf, then trade.
Gaining Participation
 If a child does not want to participate, they may begin
with rolling something back and forth (truck) to the
music
 Children may participate by observing
 A child with developmental delay will still have the
opportunity for gaining language and social skills
even if they do not want to use an instrument’
 Children may be more interested if they get to make
and use their own instrument
Adapted Instruments
 Using model magic, include a large grasp mold
around the stick
 Attach bells to an elastic band and place on
the child’s wrist or ankle
 Instruments can have a ribbon run though
them and then tied to the child’s clothing
 Using switches
 Using craft sticks for extensions
Using Musical Instruments
Throughout The Daily Schedule
 Greeting & Departing
 Routines
 Transition
 Planned Large Group
 Planned Small Group
 Outside
 During Centers
 Instrumental music at Naptime
Music Center Activities
 Children can explore musical sounds and ideas
individually
 Children explore their own interests and abilities
through specially prepared materials and activities
 Children can discriminate between high and low
notes. While at the music center, the children can
use high and low signs with a partner when the
xylophone is played by their peer.
 Provides opportnities for children with special needs
Rhythm Sticks
 Children will use
 “Tap Your Sticks”
rhythm sticks to the
song
beat of a song.
 Rhythm Sticks CD
 Sing a song and get
children to clap to
the beat; then
transfer to using
chunky rhythm sticks.
Drums
 Have the children march around the circle and
follow the beat of the drum made by the
teacher.(Begin with a slow and very steady beat.)
Variation: Let a child take a turn!
 Let children use their homemade drums (made
from oatmeal containers. ) Have children will
march in a circle creating different steps (high,
long, fast, slow).
 Encourage modifications of homemade drums by
using different size containers and contents
Bells
 The children will ring their bell when they hear
the word bell in the story.
 Jingle seriation; place one to five bells in felt
bags in order according to the loudness or
richness of the jingle.
 Place jingle ribbons throughout the classroom.
 Throw a beanbag to ring the bell.
Composing Music with Young
Children
 Using board maker symbols
 Writing songs for instruments played
 Song boards (Place a song on large poster
board; children can decide what musical
instrument will be played for each word.
These can be changed using board maker
symbols so that you sing each day in a
different way!)
Music to Use with Musical
Instruments
 Vivaldi (Bolero),
 Ella Jenkins, Hap Palmer
 Grieg (In the Hall of the
 Jazz CD
Mountain
King
 Beethoven (all),
 Herbert (March of the
Toys)
 Saint-Saens (Carnival of
the the Animals) ;
 Zydeco
 Harp
 Piano
 Horns
 African Drumming
Recorded Music with Musical
Instruments
 Tiptoe to the “Dance of
the Sugarplum Fairies &
allow children to take
turns playing the
triangle.
 Paper plate streamers.
 Tap dancing with
quarters on our shoes.
 Moving with scarves.
 Listening for specific
musical instruments
when music is played
from “Peter and the
Wolf”. Children will
stand up when they
hear their instrument.
Books and Musical Instruments
 Zin, Zin the Violin
 Peter and the
 Meet the Orchestra
Wolf
 Carnivale of the
Animals
 The Philharmonic
Gets Dressed
 Max Has Two Sticks
Things We can do to Encourage Appropriate
Music Activities in the Classroom
 Create a supportive physical & emotional
environment
 Provide opportunities to explore music without
pressuring students to perform
 Respect what is comfortable for the child
 Music needs to be fun
 Social interaction is a key part of music experiences
 Vary the musical experiences and include history and
information.
During music and movement
activities, notice if a child…
 Enjoys listening to music
 Enjoys playing an instrument and is able to follow the beat
 Experiments with different instruments
 Makes up new words to songs
 Is able to create movements to go with your rhythm and
directions
 Interacts with others in music and movement activities
 Recognizes the following instruments by sight and sound:
guitar, flute, piano, drum, trumpet
www.childrensmusic.org/light4.html
Don’t be afraid to teach a new way,
Use more music everyday
Sing a fact or maybe two,
Suddenly it is fun to do!
Just be careful with your song
Facts through music last quite long.
and SING!…tune: ABC song