Early Music Classes: Keeping it Fun and Fresh
Are you considering music classes for your baby, toddler or preschooler? In this article Kindermusik music teacher Lorrie Holmes explains what a typical class at her studio looks like.
When I first received my Kindermusik license about five years ago, I asked myself where to begin. I’m teaching kids under seven basic music concepts. Once I was ready to write my first lesson plan, I became a bit nervous. I asked myself, as a parent, how I would like music to be introduced to my kids. This is when I started to relax as the answer became very obvious to me: in a fun, playful and creative way.
Keeping Music Classes Fun
My biggest, and actually, only real goal for the earliest learners is to introduce them to music. If you want to make a lasting impression on these youngsters, you better make it fun as their attention span is very short! The trick for me is to get into character and to stay there, from the moment you greet your first little musical guest at the door until the last one leaves your room. High energy is required and so is a smile on your face. No child is going to want to participate or return to music classes being taught by a scary lady!
Children know what they like, so flexibility is very important. The good news though is that they can stay engaged with music classes if the teacher piques their interest. A good teacher will offer them assortment of activities. Here’s what a 45 minute class looks like for me.
What to Expect During Early Music Classes
Welcome Song on Ukulele
Young kids love the happy sound of the uke, and so do parents. If you get bored and stop participating, your kids will follow suit and nobody will be happy. If you’re involved you’ll work magic on the kids.
Name Games
Kids love to hear their names being called out by their teacher and their classmates, parents, etc. It makes them feel important and it’s a great confidence and ice breaker. Kids use puppets, percussion instruments, bubbles and body percussion while playing name games in my music classes. I choose a different activity every third week to keep it fresh.
Puppet Song
Kids will look forward to a visit from a really fun puppet each class. I opt for something funny as opposed to sweet so that everyone will be engaged. I have a crocodile named Lucy and she nibbles everyone’s foot or hand while they clap along to “Never Smile At A Crocodile”.
Ice Breaker Song
I ask all the kids to show me their teeth and sometimes their funny faces. I tell them how we are all going to sing this next song while practicing our smiles. While we sing “You Are My Sunshine” the kids pass around my Little Miss Sunshine stuffie. They can even stand and act out the lyric to the song if they wish or just twirl around the dance floor: it’s open ended.
Dynamics Song
Here I introduce concepts such as singing high and low, fast and slow, smooth and bumpy. Kids can wiggle their fingers high-low, fast-slow, bumpy and smooth rides, etc. They can pretend to be animals with paws or claws, etc. It’s a great way to integrate dramatic play and get them into character.
Scales on Pitch Instrument
Teachers use the xylophone, keyboard, piano, etc., for this activity. I have the kids sing scales and challenge them to move up or down the scale. This is always super fun.
Action Song
I make up a lot of my own goofy songs, which the kids can add to. When teachers are demonstrating this it’s important they use lots of energy.
Ensemble Song
This part of early music classes allows kids to play percussion instruments. They’re prompted and need to listen to when they come in and when they need to put instruments down. It’s very loud and a total gong show, but they love it and are being introduced to the concept of how multiple instruments can be played together.
Sing-Along Story
Sometimes we all sit in a circle and I sing from a book or felt story. Other times, I will have a microphone in front of me as I sing along to a backtrack and other children can use microphones or just sing or dance around while others still might have puppets and act out the words to the lyric in the puppet theatre.
Bubbles Song
I ALWAYS have a bubbles song. Whether it be about bubbles, Ariel under the sea, etc. Kids LOVE bubbles, and this helps keep them engaged in their music classes.
Ribbon Dance
I always have a ribbon dance song as well. This might be a back track to a popular song or I might play the piano. Teachers may give their music classes lots of choices. Expect parent participation to help keep things under control. I like the aspect of also introducing new activities to the parents that they can try again at home with their kids.
Name that Tune
I love to play various instruments and have kids try to figure out the tunes. I give them hints as well. I start with nursery rhymes and then move up to longer, traditional and popular tunes that they all love.
Musical Stories
We usually end our classes with a musical story where kids act out something like “We’re Going On A Bear Hunt”. Many music classes change the theme with the season.
Good-Bye Song
Good-bye songs include the children’s names and can end with them coming over for a stamp, high five, or sticker when their name is called. Kids love to end these classes by hearing all their new friends call out each of their names.
While your children are learning musical concepts at their early music classes they’re also having fun. I keep it quite light and remember that if I’m having fun, the kids will have fun. It’s taken me a few years to find my personal comfort zone, which is teaching super creative, parent participation classes. Today I’m comfortable working with parents and I get excited when I am able to pass on fun things they can share with their kids.
Lorrie Holmes offers daily Drop-In Preschool classes in her Creative Arts Studio in Delta, BC. Learn more about these programs at lyricalnote.com/preschool_programs/drop-in-preschool-performing-arts.
