Music in the Early Years curriculum

In addition to being part of the curriculum itself, music is used to support many other areas of the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 and can be found almost everywhere. Music can be used to reinforce concepts in numeracy, motor skills and language development. Socially, musical activities, singing songs and performing are good for developing a child's confidence.  If a child can see the pleasure adults get from an activity then they themselves are more likely to be interested. It's been proven time and again that music is great for children's development.

The curriculum stepping stones for music identify three areas of learning :

- Singing simple songs from memory
- Recognising and exploring how sounds can be changed
- Recognising repeated sounds and sound patterns and matching movements to music

Singing

The guidelines suggest that schools should ensure that music and songs used reflect a wide range of types and cultures, for example orchestral music and reggae music  A child has a massive capacity for learning songs - and it doesn't matter if they get them right or wrong - as long as they are singing and having fun.

Responding to Music with Movement

Moving to music is instinctive to a child and fundamental in beginning to understand how rhythm and pulse work in music. The Foundation Stage suggests that children simply respond to sound with body movements, join in with dancing, imitate and create movements to music and begin, in the later stages, to 'move rhythmically'. The benefits to moving to music are many. Children can explore different emotions through music, begin to understand how the music makes them feel, can explore different rhythms, respond to the pulse or the beat in music, can use rhythm to develop their speech and can join in social activities through music increasing their self confidence


Don't forget live music!

This can be the most exciting way to hear it. When there is something to see this helps concentration too. 

Musicians giving performances in schools for the children gives them the opportunity of experiencing the excitement and power of live music.


Link to CBeebies Music