When I was teaching in Reception my music time was mainly delivered by using BBC Radio Tapes; yes tapes, this was in the 1990s!  This was a whole school approach as it ensured there was consistency and progression throughout the school.  Sometimes with my class, when we had hall time, I would also give the children the opportunity to explore expressive movement as I improvised on the piano; I stood at the piano and created different patterns, pauses, and changes in dynamics that the children loved to interpret through their own moves!   When I became the music coordinator for th ..read more

This may seem a little controversial as many people love to use videos and recordings with the children in their early years setting BUT all the children really need in their music time is you to be their musical stimulus, not a children's themed YouTube channel! I am not saying recorded music doesn't have a place, as it is fantastic for children to hear different genres of music that they may not hear otherwise, BUT using recordings/videos as the main focus for children's music experience is NOT beneficial to them.  They need you to be their stimulus through songs, rhymes, fun music gam ..read more

I have found a way to use almost all the resources I have during my music activities, there are some exceptions, but I have used many.  From dancing under an umbrella; to smelling sweets; to hiding under a camouflage net! They are a great way to bring your music activities to life.  Using these resources can encourage some of the most reluctant children to join in with a singing activity or moving to the music.  Here is a list of 7 resources and an activity you could do with them: 1. Small World Toys:  moving the toy to a song (choose a relevant toy to go with a song ..read more

This may seem a little controversial as many people love to use videos and recordings with the children in their early years setting BUT all the children really need in their music time is you to be their musical stimulus, not a children's themed YouTube channel! I am not saying recorded music doesn't have a place, as it is fantastic for children to hear different genres of music that they may not hear otherwise, BUT using recordings/videos as the main focus for children's music experience is NOT beneficial to them.  They need you to be their stimulus through songs, rhymes, fun music gam ..read more

A quick tip for a new way you could use your parachute or Lyrca/ stretchy fabric during music activities. It is music time again, you have got the parachute or stretchy fabric out and you’re doing the same activity you do every time. If you are bored with it you’re thinking the children may be too! What could you do differently? What simple change could you make to make it more interesting? If you would like to learn more about using a parachute or Lycra in the early years, please take a look at my online training course: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/parachute-lycra-and-friendship-ring ..read more

Do you ever do this? Look at the musical instruments and think it is too much work to get them out. You don’t know what to do with them, or when you give them out, it is just a loud noise. It is definitely not enjoyable. If you would like to learn more about using musical instruments in the early years, please take a look at my online training course: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/musical-instruments-in-the-early-years Or here where it is included as part of EYMI Membership: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/early-years-music-ideas-2-to-5 #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearsmusic #earlyl ..read more

Do you have a box/trolley/bag full of musical instruments and you know that the children love exploring them. They sit in a corner of the room and rarely get used or if they do maybe you wish you didn’t get them out as it ends up being really loud in your early years setting.  If you would like to learn more about using musical instruments in the early years, please take a look at my online training course: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/musical-instruments-in-the-early-years Or here where it is included as part of EYMI Membership: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/early-years-mu ..read more

A quick tip on how I organise the instruments that the children play during a music time.  If you would like to learn more about using musical instruments in the early years, please take a look at my online training course: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/musical-instruments-in-the-early-years Or here where it is included as part of EYMI Membership: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/early-years-music-ideas-2-to-5 #earlyyearseducation #earlyyearsmusic #earlylearning #earlyyearsideas #earlyyearslearning #earlyyearsmusic #earlyyears #musicalinstruments ..read more

There are many resources from your early years setting that you can use in music activities.  In this blog, I give some helpful suggestions to worries and concerns I have heard from early years practitioners, regarding instruments, group props, and individual props. Instruments One of the biggest mistakes people make with their musical instruments is to just give the children free access to the instrument trolley/box/bag without knowing what they want the children to get from the activity. You don’t need to tell the children exactly what to do BUT you do need to know what the aim of them ..read more

Are you looking to learn something new during the long 6-week break?  Would you like to develop your understanding of early years music? If yes, I can help! To get you started you might like to take my quiz: Other Blogs that might help Blogs that talk about PDP: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/blog/categories/9223-pdp  If you would like to do more with nursery rhymes, take a look here: https://www.musicintheearlyyears.com/blog/categories/9203-nursery-rhymes  Maybe you would like to plan the next year and would like ideas for different celebrations: https ..read more