Category Archives: Early Childhood Music

How Early Childhood Music Lessons Help Children’s Emotional Development

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Early childhood is a critical time for emotional development, as children learn to recognize, express, and regulate their emotions. Music education plays a significant role in supporting this development, offering children a unique way to express themselves, build resilience, and connect with others. Early childhood music classes positively impact emotional development and well-being.

  • Emotional Expression Through Music

One of the most powerful ways music aids emotional development is by providing children with a non-verbal outlet to express their emotions. For young children, articulating feelings can be difficult, but through music, they can express joy, sadness, excitement, or frustration. This form of expression helps children become more in tune with their feelings and encourages emotional self-awareness, which is a cornerstone of emotional intelligence.

  • Building Emotional Regulation Skills

Emotional regulation is the ability to control and manage one’s emotional responses, especially in challenging situations. Music lessons help children develop this skill through activities that require patience, focus, and practice. Studies show that children who engage in music education demonstrate better emotional regulation. The structure of music lessons provides children with opportunities to learn how to deal with challenges in a healthy and constructive way, enhancing their ability to manage emotions in other aspects of life.

  • Empathy and Social Connection

Music is inherently social, and many early childhood music lessons take place in group settings, such as music classes. These environments foster empathy by requiring children to work together, listen to each other, and communicate non-verbally through music. Learning to play in sync with others builds cooperation, understanding, and respect for one another’s feelings.

When children are taught to recognize and respond to the emotions of their peers, they develop greater empathy and stronger interpersonal connections, which are crucial for emotional development.

  • Boosting Self-Esteem and Confidence

Mastering an instrument or completing a music piece provides children with a sense of achievement and boosts their confidence. These accomplishments contribute to a positive self-image, which is essential for healthy emotional development. Children who feel proud of their musical abilities are more likely to take on challenges and approach new situations with a positive mindset. Performing music in front of an audience, whether in a recital or casual setting, also builds confidence. These experiences help children overcome performance anxiety and embrace opportunities for self-expression.

  • Music and Emotional Resilience

For children experiencing stress or emotional challenges, music offers a comforting and therapeutic outlet. Research suggests that music can help children process trauma and manage emotions like anxiety or sadness. Music’s calming effects can reduce stress and foster emotional resilience, allowing children to cope with difficult situations more effectively. Listening to or creating music can provide a sense of emotional stability and comfort, especially during times of uncertainty or change. For example, music therapy has been used to support children dealing with trauma, helping them express feelings that might be too difficult to put into words.

Early childhood music lessons are more than just a creative activity—they are an essential tool for emotional development. Music helps children express their feelings, regulate their emotions, develop empathy, and build self-confidence. Through group lessons and individual practice, music provides children with the skills they need to navigate their emotions and relationships effectively. With its proven benefits, music education can play a vital role in shaping a child’s emotional intelligence, giving them the tools they need to succeed in life.

For more information about the Science of Music, check out these blog posts:

The Science of Music: How Music Teaches Children to Relax and Be Calm

The Science of Music: How Children Learn Patience Through Music

Are you interested in becoming a Musikgarten teacher and bringing these life changing skills to children in your community? Click here for more information.

If you are a parent interested in classes for your child, please click here.

Early Childhood Music Education Enhances Athletic Skills

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Early childhood music education offers a surprising yet powerful benefit for young athletes. Beyond its known cognitive, emotional, and social advantages, music training helps children develop physical skills that are crucial for success in sports. From improving agility and coordination to enhancing timing and teamwork, music education lays the groundwork for athletic excellence.

Agility and Coordination

  • Music and Movement: Music training, especially rhythm-based activities like clapping or dancing to a beat, improves a child’s coordination and motor skills. These are foundational for agility in sports, while providing other benefits as well.
  • Motor Skill Development: Studies show that musical training strengthens brain regions involved in motor control, which translates into better coordination and quicker reflexes during physical activities. Musical lessons, specifically piano lessons have shown to improve fine motor abilities in children.

Inner Ear and Timing

  • Timing and Precision: The “inner ear” helps children develop timing and rhythm, essential elements for sports performance. Music education trains the ear to detect subtle differences in sound, which improves athletes’ ability to anticipate and react quickly to cues like the bounce of a ball or team signals.
  • Auditory Processing: Research in the Journal of Neuroscience revealed that music training improves the brain’s auditory processing abilities, allowing for better timing and quicker reactions in sports.

Cognitive Benefits: Focus and Executive Function

  • Improved Focus: Music education boosts executive functions like attention, memory, and problem-solving. These cognitive skills are crucial in sports, where focus, quick decision-making, and remembering plays are key to success.
  • Cognitive Flexibility: Musical training improves cognitive flexibility, which improves task-switching ability and helps athletes adjust strategies and stay adaptable during competitions.

Teamwork and Social Skills

  • Collaborative Learning: Music often involves group activities such as ensembles or choirs, teaching children teamwork, discipline, and cooperation—skills directly transferable to team sports.
  • Social Development: Music helps develop empathy and teamwork, especially in group settings like bands or choirs. Group music-making builds social skills like communication and working toward a common goal, essential for team success in sports.

Music education does more than foster creativity—it helps children develop key skills needed for athletic performance. Whether it’s agility through rhythm, timing through ear training, or cognitive and social development, early childhood music education provides an enriching foundation for young athletes to thrive both on and off the field.

For more information about becoming a Musikgarten teacher and bringing these life changing skills to children in your community, click here.

If you are a parent interested in classes for your child, please click here.

Music Literacy and the Musikgarten Method – Part 2

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Early childhood music education lays the foundation for a lifelong appreciation and engagement with music. In our first installment of this two-part series, we explored music literacy in the second stage of child development and how singing helps children learn to play piano. We continue to expound on the Musikgarten Method with the importance of incorporating structured approaches to piano learning and integrating dynamic methods like listening and movement. Both structured piano learning and the integration of listening and movement activities highlight the importance of a comprehensive music education for young children and help them to develop a range of cognitive, physical, and emotional skills.

Early Childhood Music Builds a Strong Foundation in Piano Learning

Building a strong foundation in piano learning is crucial for long-term success. Key teaching elements include:

  • Proper Posture – ensure an upright back and relaxed shoulders. The chair height should allow feet to rest flat, with forearms parallel to the floor​.
  • Hand Position – maintain naturally curved fingers and a relaxed wrist​.
  • Finger Technique – practice finger independence and strength through specific exercises​.
  • Practice Routine: Initially teaching away from the keyboard to focus on body alignment and integrate familiar songs with consistent teacher feedback.

Combining these elements helps to develop ideal playing posture and supports a lifelong love for piano.

The Listening and Movement Connection of Early Childhood Music Education

Incorporating music and movement into early childhood education significantly enhances children’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. Activities that combine listening and movement are particularly beneficial as they create a holistic learning experience. Here are some key points:

  • Cognitive Development: Engaging in music and movement helps children develop language and mathematical skills. Repetitive actions and patterns in songs enhance memory and cognitive abilities.
  • Physical Benefits: Movement activities improve both gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and overall physical health. They help children develop muscle strength, balance, and motor control.
  • Social and Emotional Growth: Music and movement activities promote social interaction, teamwork, and self-expression. Children learn to communicate and express emotions through these activities, fostering a sense of belonging and emotional well-being​.
Notation games during Musikgarten's group piano class.
Notation Games during Musikgarten’s group piano class.

Early childhood music educators often include daily music and movement sessions, use songs during transitions, and encourage activities like dance and sing-alongs. This approach not only supports academic learning but also nurtures children’s overall development, making it an essential component of early childhood education​.

Early childhood music education, through structured piano learning and the integration of listening and movement activities, provides a comprehensive approach to developing various essential skills in young children. These methods not only enhance cognitive, physical, and emotional development but also foster a lifelong love and appreciation for music. By investing in these foundational practices, educators and parents can ensure children grow into well-rounded individuals with a deep connection to the arts.

Learning to Love Music as a Family – A Parent’s Guide

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Music has the remarkable ability to enrich our lives, touch our emotions, and provide a source of joy and inspiration. But, how do you learn to love music as a family. For parents, introducing their children to the world of music at an early age can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Not only does it foster cognitive growth and other developmental benefits, it also instills a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Here are just a few practical ways parents can actively participate in nurturing a love for music in their children, creating a foundation for a lifetime of musical enjoyment.

How Parents Can Encourage the Love of Music in their Kids

  1. Start Early with Musical Exposure – Begin by exposing your child to a variety of musical genres from a young age. Play different styles of music in the house, whether it’s classical, jazz, folk, gospel, or pop. This exposure helps children develop a broad musical palette and openness to diverse sounds.
  • Enroll in Music Classes – Many communities offer music classes for young children. These classes should incorporate singing, movement, drumming and the opportunity to play simple, age appropriate instruments. Parent participation in these classes is important for modeling and reinforcing the love of music.
Musikgarten Class - Children Taking Turns
Musikgarten Toddler Class
  • Provide Access to Instruments – Offer your child the opportunity to explore different musical instruments. Consider starting with simple, child-friendly instruments like maracas, sticks, or bells. Encourage creativity through musical play with your child, let them experiment with creating their own rhythms and melodies. This not only boosts creativity but also helps in developing a sense of musical expression.
  • Attend Live Performances – Take your child to live music performances, whether it’s a local school concert, a community band, or age-appropriate shows. Experiencing music in a live setting can be magical and captivating, sparking a deeper interest in the art form.
  • Become a Musical Advocate – Support music in your local school(s) and music organizations in your area, and have your child participate in volunteer events. Help music teachers with volunteer support and donations to help cover items not included in school budgets.

Nurturing a love for music in your child is a gift that lasts a lifetime. By incorporating music into their daily lives, providing hands-on experiences with instruments, and exposing them to a diverse range of musical styles, parents can cultivate a deep appreciation for the art form. Remember, the key is to participate to make the journey enjoyable and encourage your child to explore the vast and beautiful world of music.

Goal Setting for Teachers in the Childhood Music Classroom

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The annual turning of the calendar generates reflection of the year past as well as expectation for the year ahead. Whether we wish to or not, during this time we often go through a mental exercise of regrets and aspirations. When looking to improve our personal as well as professional lives in the new year, purposeful, formal, and written goal setting has been proven to be more effective in changing or improving behaviors.

A helpful way to accomplish this is by following the SMART goal acronym, reminding us that goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. For the early childhood music teacher, as with any educator, there are goals that will make the classroom more effective. But when that teacher is also the owner of a children’s music studio, there are also goals that regard the business. Each set of goals affects the other and combine to make a successful studio.

Goal Setting for Teachers (of any kind)

For educators, it’s important to always be learning and improving teaching practices. The tasks involved in this endeavor can be quite overwhelming. These simple recommendations may help to reach those goals without losing your mind in the process.

  • Get feedback from your students, parents, supervisors, and/or peers – Often times, what we perceive as needing improvement is unwarranted, while some other areas may not have even occurred to us.
  • Write your SMART goals and remind yourself every day – With the initial chaos that a new teaching period often brings, it’s easy to lose focus on things outside the classroom. Posting goals somewhere to be seen often helps keep you focused.

Goal Setting for the Children’s Music Studio (or any small business)

Managing a classroom is challenging enough without having to run and maintain a successful early childhood music studio. However, it’s important to put on your business owner’s hat and set goals for the studio as well.

  • Go through the same reflection and feedback process – While improvements to the classroom often coincide with business goals, other considerations such as cost or communication outside of the classroom should be considered.
  • Consider the functional areas of the business – As with any size organization, there are major functional areas that also affect small businesses – Management, Production/Operations, Finance/Accounting, and Marketing/Sales. There is a great deal of resources available to help understand and improve these areas.
  • Set growth goals and the marketing tactics to achieve them – Most business owners want to grow, but sustainable growth is paramount to success. Sell it first, then build it is an established business axiom. One shouldn’t hire new teachers without the students, or expand classroom space without the need.
  • Start small and build gradually – Many organizations try to go “too big, too fast,” which is why many small businesses fail within the first few years. Take a tip from the tortoise, slow and steady wins the race.

The new year brings new opportunities and hope for a brighter future. Focusing on fewer, yet specific, goals for the classroom and the early childhood music studio will help to ensure long term success.

Instilling a Sense of Giving in Children

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Charitable giving plummeted 10.5% since 2021. While this decline was across the board with corporations and foundations, giving by individuals fell by an even steeper amount of 13.4%, adjusting for inflation. It’s important to note that Americans gave generously during the pandemic, with record-setting giving between 2019 and 2020, so non-profits and charitable organizations can only hope this recent decline is temporary. After all, Americans have a great history of charitable donations, and one which has been passed down from generation to generation. In this season of giving, it’s important to model and teach children about the importance of giving back to others.

Tips for Raising Generous Children

From early childhood children tend to be self-involved, making sure that their immediate needs are met by the caregivers surrounding them. But as they grow older, its important that those caregivers play an important role in helping kids develop generosity by encouragement and example. Here are some guiding principles in helping children develop a lifetime of charitable giving:

  • Encourage empathy – Helping children to imaging how others feel is the starting point of generosity. Parents should seek out opportunities to encourage empathy, from everyday situations such as a sibling squabble, or in more structured giving such as participating in a food or clothing drive.
  • Set an example – Kids look to parents and other caregivers for clues on how to behave. While encouragement is extremely important, modeling generous behavior such as visiting sick relatives, volunteering at a charitable organization, or even pitching in with household chores, shows children first-hand that you really mean what you say.
  • Select a Charity – Let your children experience first-hand what it feels like to give time to a cause. Encourage them help to select a charity that the entire family can participate in, ideally one benefitting children of their own ages. When kids give to those they closely relate with, their empathy grows even stronger.

Teaching Children Generosity in the Music Classroom

Children’s music programs offer a unique opportunity for kids to learn about giving and generosity. With encouragement and guidance from the early childhood music teacher, they can learn the gift of giving in the following ways:

Musikgarten Class - Children Taking Turns
Children taking turns in a Musikgarten class.

Teaching generosity to children is a gift that they will practice their entire lives, and which others will surely benefit. Through explaining empathy, modeling by example, and providing children opportunities to give to others, caregivers can ensure that their child will be a more thoughtful and generous member of society.

Have Schools Been Teaching Music All Wrong?

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Even before the pandemic, music educators in schools had been lamenting about the budget cuts in the arts and how children’s music programs have suffered or even in some cases, disappeared. But the exodus and decline of music students in public education cannot be solely laid at the feet of budget cuts. For example, a seven-year study in Texas found an 80% drop out rate for band students, with the greatest attrition being between the first and second year of instruction.

Budget cuts notwithstanding, developing a love and knowledge of making music in children may have a larger systemic issue. Perhaps our approach to teaching music in schools is contributing to this decline. Have schools been teaching music all wrong?

Teaching Music to the test and not the student

In a series of New York Times articles, Grammy-award winning musician Sammy Miller argues that as with many other institutional education programs with standardized achievement testing, the same often applies to music programs.

Whether by choice or necessity, educators today often “teach to the test” so that achievement goals attached to funding can be reached. While the form of the achievement goal may be a bit different than in traditional classes, music instructors are often teaching to the Holiday Concert or Recital, where parents and administrators will see results. It is often said that music is a language, but many music programs are not teaching it that way. Much like language, music development should include listening, speaking (singing), reading, and writing. Emphasizing rigid reading and rote memorization misses the most important goal of a music program – to instill a lifelong love of music.

Teaching music like a language

It is not until pre-school age that many children are exposed to written language, although their vocabulary is already as many as a thousand words and phrases.

So how did they acquire this skill without formal instruction? By hearing language from their caregivers and siblings, repeating what they hear, and stumbling through ways to verbally (and physically) communicate. As their language develops, they begin to experience the joy of communication. It is not seen as a chore of rote memorization, but a feeling of community and connectiveness. Some early childhood music programs understand that teaching through musical communication establishes a foundation and understanding of the building blocks of music knowledge.

Many great pop music artists know that the secret of good music is simplicity in its foundation, with most chart-topping songs being a series of a few simple notes put together in a new and creative way. Approaching early childhood music education the same way we approach teaching language is a joyful way to instill a lifelong love and understanding of music.

What Makes a Good Early Childhood Music Program?

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The very title of this topic may seem provocative, as many childhood music educators and researchers have varying opinions on what makes a truly great children’s music instruction. There are various established and differing music teaching methods such as The Suzuki Method and The Orff Approach, or The Kodaly and Dalcroze methods. While some of these methods are more focused on the learning of an instrument, they all tend to share a core set of teaching principles. This is not a competitive comparison of any program versus another, but an analysis of the shared beliefs upon which most all music teachers and educators agree.

Core Principles of Children’s Music Education

Here are several basic, yet important tenants to teaching early childhood music education that can be found in nearly all successful children’s music programs:

Focus on the Child – This may seem blatantly obvious, but it is important to emphasize for all childhood educators not to lose the “forest from the trees,” by making the teaching method the center of attention instead of the child themselves. Focusing on the child requires a respect of each student and their individual learning journey. This important approach also touches on “Follow the Child,” one of the central principles of the celebrated Montessori teaching method. 

Music and Movement – Research suggests that encouraging movement at an early age helps to improve all kinds of cognitive as well as physical development. The area of the brain associated with motor control, the cerebellum, is also largely responsible for our learning process. The connection of both music and movement release endorphins in the brain, which helps to maintain interest and energy in a subject. Finally, movement helps children with beat perception and the development of rhythm, timing, and the motor control that will assist in music comprehension and learning an instrument.

Parental/Caregiver Involvement in Children’s Music Education – One principle shared by nearly all successful early childhood music programs is the importance of parental participation. This is often graphically represented as a triangular relationship between child, teacher, and parent. As one would suspect, the importance of parental involvement is not only beneficial to music learning, but all kinds of learning and early childhood development. Research has shown that, just as with traditional academics, parental involvement is particularly beneficial in early children’s music programs through observation and mimicry, helping to develop a better understanding of cultural ties to music, musical concepts, group social interaction, and motor skills development through the use of musical instruments.

Musikgarten Class
Parents during a Musikgarten class.

The most successful children’s music programs share several core principles that can be applied to nearly all early childhood learning. A Focus on the Child ensures that the approach respects the individuality and pace of learning that each child possesses. Music Combined with Movement helps with not only the mechanics of rhythm and timing of music, but also with cognitive aspects that encourage learning. Finally, Parental/Caregiver Involvement creates a triangular bond between teacher, child and parent which reinforces mimicry and a lifetime love of learning. All of these core principles combined with a carefully designed curriculum and supporting materials, are key to success for early childhood learning programs.

Ella Jenkins – First Lady of Children’s Music

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Anyone who is involved in children’s music is familiar with the name Ella Jenkins. Given the honorific title “The First Lady of Children’s Folk Song,” Jenkins is an iconic American folk singer, multi-instrumentalist, and perhaps most impactfully, a beloved children’s music writer and performer. Her 1995 album of children’s songs, Multicultural Children’s Songs remains the Smithsonian Folkways most popular release. Jenkins has spent her life devoted to helping children find enjoyment in music, appearing on many children’s television shows including Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Sesame Street, and Barney. And in 2004, Jenkins received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She remains an inspiration and mentor for many children’s music educators across the globe.

Ella Jenkins’ Humble Beginnings for a Children’s Music Icon

Jenkins’ was born in St. Louis on August 6, 1924, but grew up mainly on Chicago’s South Side. As a child, she loved games, especially those involving music, rhythm, and movement. Jenkins was introduced to the music of renowned blues musicians such as Memphis Slim, T-Bone Walker, and Big Bill Bronzy, by her uncle Floyd Johnson, a harmonica player. As her love and interest in music grew and her family moved to different neighborhoods around the south side, she explored various styles of music, rhythm, and children’s games in the streets as well as local black churches. During this time, Jenkins also enjoyed dance and performing, which allowed her to attend concerts at the local theatre. She often contributes her “sing and response” style of music by hearing Cab Calloway perform there. Graduating High School in 1942, Jenkins went on to earn an associate’s degree from Woodrow Wilson Junior College while working at a Wrigley’s gum factory. It was at Woodrow Wilson that she became interested in music from other cultures through her Mexican, Cuban, and Puerto Rican friends. After graduation, Jenkins moved to California in 1948 in order to increase her opportunities and expand her musical repertoire.

From Music Acolyte to Accomplished Composer

While attending San Francisco State College, Jenkins continued her pursuit into the music of other cultures, learning Jewish songs from her roommates. After graduating with a B.A. in Psychology with minors in Child Psychology and Recreation in 1951, she moved back to her beloved Chicago. Despite having no formal music education, in addition to singing Jenkins learned over the years to play a multitude of musical instruments including the ukulele, pipe organ, harmonica, piano, and a variety of percussion instruments.  Jenkins began writing songs while volunteering at recreations centers, and was soon hired as a Teenage Program Director. While performing with young people on the street one day, she was asked to perform on a local public television show, The Totem Club. Jenkins continued to play various shows and events, and in 1956 decided to become a full-time freelance musician. Moses Arch, the founder of Folkways Recordings heard Jenkins and offered to record her songs. Her first album, Call and Response was published as 10-invh vinyl in 1957. She recalls, however, that times were not always easy in those days, as she slept in different places each night, often facing racial discrimination.

Composing and Performing her way to Beloved Children’s Music Icon

In the 1960s, Jenkins met Bernadelle Richter, who hired her to perform at an American Youth Folk Festival. They soon developed a relationship and within a few years were business partners, with Jenkins composing and performing while Richter handled the business. In 1966, Jenkins released the best-selling title in the history of Folkways (Smithsonian) Records, You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song. She has continued to compose and perform ever since, with her 32nd album Life of Song published in 2011. Other entities continue to publish her classics in different educational compilations, such as the Get Moving Ella Jenkins and recently released 123s and ABCs, which features her core principles of careful listening, singing, and improvisation.

Ella Jenkins is one of few artists to have recorded both for Smithsonian Folkways and for Moses Asch’s original Folkways label. She has enjoyed a long and prolific career distinguished by a genuine love and appreciation for the minds and hearts of children. Three generations of fans are still singing along with “Miss Ella,” while the next generation of children can learn the ground-breaking songs of Ella Jenkins on Smithsonian Folkways. The accolades Jenkins has received include, but are not limited to, a Pioneer in Early Television citation, the Parent’s Choice Award, a KOHL Education Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Variety Performer Award from American Academy of Children’s Entertainment, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. She has also served as a U.S. delegate to numerous countries with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Generations of children have a deeper understanding of the world through Ella Jenkins participatory music.

The Benefits of Teaching Children to Give

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This holiday season offers many opportunities for teachers, parents, and caregivers to teach children about both giving and giving thanks. Our last topic covered the many benefits of instilling gratitude in children. While showing gratitude is important for healthy early development, some evidence shows children may actually benefit more from giving than receiving.

Some of the Health Benefits of Giving

Giving and showing generosity has many health benefits, including physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. When instilled in children, giving provides benefits that will pay back for their entire lives. A few of the many benefits of giving include:

The Developmental Benefits of Teaching Children to Give

These results of giving help the young and old alike, but teaching children how to give provides some important developmental benefits as well:

Teaching Children the Joy of Giving

Most children are naturally inclined towards giving from a very early age. Research has shown that from the age of two, toddlers are actually happier giving than receiving. A study of children as young as 18 and 30 months old showed children voluntarily giving and helping in various altruistic ways, such as giving a blanket to a cold researcher. However, cultivating skills around kindness and giving should be nurtured by caregivers. Here are a few tips for reinforcing the natural inclination for children to give:

  1. Be a role model and explain why you are giving – Research shows that children are more likely to be kind if at least one parent models that behavior for them. In younger children, facial expressions of happiness and gratitude can show intent. As they grow older, it’s important for parents to have conversations with their kids about generosity.
  • Create opportunities and give together – Look for opportunities in everyday life to model giving and invite your child to participate in the process. Whether it’s a toy to a playmate or taking dinner to an elderly neighbor, the reactions of others will also demonstrate the value of being generous.
  • Help them understand and see the impact – While giving money or donating to a charity is helpful in teaching giving, letting children see the end results of generosity will make a longer lasting impression on them. Volunteering time often involves coming into contact with the recipients of giving, which can demonstrate the positive impact it makes.

Of the many studies and research that have been performed on the developmental benefits of giving, nearly all reiterate instilling generosity in children early and often. From an early age, children’s tendencies to do so should be identified and rewarded, and at a later age discussed and praised. In this season of giving, there are many opportunities to reinforce what already comes natural to most children.