More Nonformal Music Activities


Continuing from last time, I'd like to share some activities with you to help enhance your child's learning experiences with music, movement and rhythms.

Listening Together

As soon as your child can talk in sentences, listening together to music can be a truly educational experience for both of you! Play a piece of music and listen closely to it. Begin to help your child listen closely and in a more "detailed" way by asking them questions. Some to ask would be, "Can you name what makes that quiet sound (or loud)? What about the ones that sound pretty? What does it remind you of, or make you think of? What do the sounds make you feel like? There are many good pieces to start with that can be used to help learn the instruments and tell a story. One that is recommended is PETER AND THE WOLF, by Prokofiev. With repeated episodes of this type of listening activity, you child may eventually be able to distinguish between the variations in the tempo, rhythm, loudness or softness, and how they "feel" when they listen, or how it affects them emotionally.

Another great activity would be drawing together!

Drawing To The Beat

This is great for creativity and learning attentiveness. If your child likes to draw, (most do) they will usually take part in this repeatedly. Give them a large piece of paper, turn on the music, and ask the child to draw whatever the music makes them feel like drawing. Maybe it will be a feeling or movement or action. It might be a person or character or a design or pattern. Pieces to use for this should be instrumental because this gives the mind "free reign" without the "suggestions" of words. Some pieces to use for this could be Tchaikovsky's NUTCRACKER, or Beethoven's SIXTH SYMPHONY, PASTORALE. Even PETER AND THE WOLF would be a good one to listen to!

Be sure to remember things like using and teaching action songs, chanting games and songs, and making their own instruments! Any of these activities will add great depth and expand their environment and awareness.

Have a Great Christmas and Happy New Year, and join me in two weeks for more fun "child development" activities.

Until then, Fa La La La Laaaaaaaaaaaaa!

The copyright of the article More Nonformal Music Activities in Physical Education is owned by Gina Dronenburg. Permission to republish More Nonformal Music Activities in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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