Developing your child’s musicality – fun, singing-based musical learning, with lots of movement, instruments and games.
For confident 3/4 year olds (those that need a little parental support should consider Red Butterflies). Children attend class independently of their parents/carers – giving them permission to express themselves freely! We do lots of fun musical games, songs and rhymes, try out plenty of instruments and start to read pictorial music notation. We gently encourage the children to join in with activities and find their singing voices, giving plenty of opportunities for giving ideas and choosing.
Music and the development of musical skills is at the very centre of each and every class. Without realising it, the children are learning about music through songs and rhymes chosen to incorporate the week’s concept (fast-slow, high-low etc). Props, instruments, movement, actions, games and dances all help to imbed the concept and physicalize it. Pulse development is central to music and we do lots of practice! We also start to ‘convert’ the songs and rhymes we know into the rhythm names. We find some bear prints in the mud and use these to form the rhythm of well-known songs – and hey presto, they are reading simple rhythmic musical notation. We understand the child’s voice. We choose the songs extremely carefully so that they fit in a child’s range, are memorable, and have simple rhythms and melodies. You won’t find the same songs in a Colourstrings class as you might at many other music classes! A brilliant preparation for our afterschool classes.