There are so many intellectual, emotional and spiritual benefits to music exposure! Your child’s brain benefits from music exposure and music education. Parents don’t have to spend tons of money or drive their kids all around town for music lessons to do so.

There are fun, inexpensive and effective ways to incorporate music and singing at home too! You may have older children who are already mastering instruments, providing music in the home and a model for younger children. Regardless of the scenario, each family can incorporate a love for music with a little intentionality.

Tips for At-Home Music Education

• Play Classical Music During Everyday Activities

I appreciate the way music has the ability to influence the atmosphere of my home. I will turn on classical music during meal time to set the stage for a more relaxed dining experience. It has accompanied our laundry folding, arts and crafts, or even trips in the car. There are many ways to naturally integrate beautiful music throughout the day.

Try Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf; Britten: Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; Saint-Saens: Carnival of the Animals CD for a lively way to share classical music with children.

• Get to Know the Lives of Famous Composers

Our favorite way to do this is to read books by Opal Wheeler. In these books, you’ll encounter the composer’s childhood filled with adventures and upsets. In addition to a captivating story, snippets of waltzes, minuets, and sonatas are printed throughout.

If you can read music and play, these are a wonderful accompaniment. I don’t so we use the  Companion CD with the book so we can still benefit from the flavor of the composer’s music while reading the story. These are most appropriate for school-age children.

• Keep Instruments Within Reach

Regardless of the age of the child, a variety of sound-makers and instruments should be at their disposal. From an early age, babies love the power to make noise! From a rattle to a wooden spoon on a pot, babies and toddlers will find a way to create music. I keep a basket full of bells, drums, rhythm sticks and tambourines in our living room so my children can engage in music anytime.

Find a simple tutorial for easy to make music shakers to make with your kids!

• Sing Songs Together

Age-Appropriate Guidelines for Formal Music Education

Beyond the home, there are age-appropriate recommendations to get the most from music exposure and music lessons outside the home. Don’t underestimate your own ability to successfully give your child a musical foundation from a young age. However, there will come a time when you will need to determine the readiness of your child for outside instruction.

• From 6 months-3 years:

Group classes like Kindermusik provide opportunities for children to develop rhythm, pitch, concepts such as high and low or fast and slow, use their voices and internalize sounds. These classes can help the child internalize the precepts of music and prepare them for learning to play an instrument.

In these types of classes, children under the age of 3, have mom and the child participate together. They are exposed to a variety of music, fun physical activities and music theory through song and games. I participated in these classes with my oldest three when they were younger. We have lots of good memories.

• From 3 years – 6 years:

Children’s brains and motor skills have now usually developed sufficiently to begin to consider learning to play instruments such as the violin, keyboard or piano during these years. The child’s ear is more fully developed and they are learning to master language and abstract concepts.

I’ve always been impressed with the Suzuki method- ”an educational philosophy which seeks to create “high ability” and beautiful character in its students through a nurturing environment emphasizing immersion, encouragement, small steps, and a timetable for learning material based on each person’s developmental readiness. “

*I think it is important to stress that not all children are ready to participate in a class structure at this age. But Suzuki classes make learning music fun and respects the developmental stage of the child. You know your child best and his readiness.

• From 6 years onwards:

By now your child’s fine motor skills have begun to develop and they can master a wider range of instruments, such as a flute, percussion, guitar or trumpet. An important consideration is also to find an instrument that suits your child - for example, drums and percussion require a strong sense of rhythm, brass and wind instruments need well-developed fine motor skills, and a string instrument requires the ability to hear the note when they tune and play.

Whatever course you choose to take, make the journey more enjoyable by respecting developmental limitations, waiting for child readiness and keeping music alive in your home!

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