How to Plan a Successful Early Childhood Music Class

I was introduced to early childhood music in 1997 at Temple University, where I observed music enrichment classes based on Dr. Gordon's Music Learning Theory. It's been over two decades, but I still remember the feeling of excitement and wonder as I watched the beautiful and interactive "dance" of songs, chants, patterns, movement, and play. It looked so easy, but as it turned out, leading a rich and meaningful early childhood music class is not easy at all. It requires an enormous amount of preparation, from understanding how very young children learn music to developing a repertoire of tunes to learning to improvise in every tonality, meter, tempo, and keyality in the moment and on the spot.

Over the years of leading early childhood music enrichment classes, I have noticed that each class had a similar shape. While songs and activities varied from week to week, the overall shape followed somewhat of a classical sonata.

The following "map" is based on my personal experience, and is meant for practitioners already familiar with Dr. Gordon's theory of preparatory audiation. To study MLT for Newborn and Young Children in depth, visit the GIML website and find a professional development course near you. 

Sample "Map" for a Music Enrichment Class, Birth to 18 months (based on Music Learning Theory by Dr. Edwin Gordon)

Before the class begins… 

Interact with children in a playful way using a song or a chant. To engage children and make them feel “at ease”, imitate children’s actions, movements, and sounds, and incorporate it into the music. In other words, initiate Music Play!

Greeting Song 

A greeting song signals the beginning of the class, sets up a routine, and provides an opportunity to pay individual attention to each child by singing their name in a personal musical greeting. This is also a great opportunity to invite parents to echo individual greetings. While the song might be unfamiliar to the adults, the routine and the concept of a greeting will engage parents in singing and moving.

Chant

A chant provides a necessary contrast to maintains young children’s focus. Choose chants that provide opportunities for contrast in movement and expression. Between chant repetitions, pause to create silence, then engage in informal pattern guidance (pattern interaction) in the meter and tempo of the chant.

Stand Up and Move 

At this point in the class, you might feel the need for a change of pace. Although a prop always helps, try to save it for later. How about a song in a different tonality, meter, and style, plus movement? Save locomotor movement for later, and instead initiate stationery movement like swaying, rocking, bouncing, spinning, flowing, etc. However, if young explorers take off, incorporate their movement into the activity.

Babies Special: Ready, Set, Fly!

Babies love to fly! Model moving in curvy and smooth pathways to help adults "fly" through the room. (I find that tunes in unusual meter help adults to incorporate flow into their movement: it is more difficult to simply walk to the macrobeats. 

Sing a song, and invite everyone who can hold their baby to "fly" around the room. (Older children might want to travel independently-encourage parents to let their children choose how they participate in the activity.) Freeze movement between song repetitions, and listen to the children. Walk up to each child and strike a playful, musical conversation. Take this great opportunity to make eye contact and initiate music play: the babies are up in their caregivers’ arms!

To Rest or not to Rest? 

It’s your call. Be sensitive to babies and their caregivers. You may continue with one more locomotor activity, or settle down on the floor. Remember to create silences, interact with the children, and honor children's musical responses.

Settle Down 

Now that you’ve tired everyone out, it’s time to settle down. Slow, mellow songs work well at this point in the class. After you’ve sung the song a few times (with silences in between, of course), take out a prop and play with the song. Have fun! Watch children’s movement, make eye contact, create silences, model breathing, and interact with children's musical responses.

Words? 

Have you used a song with words yet? This is usually a good time. Songs with words provide a contrast to songs without words. In addition, parents will feel more comfortable, and often will remember the song and play with it home. A horsy ride, “I love you” song, “This Little Piggy”, Peek-A Boo are all excellent types of songs at this point in the class.

Wrap it up 

Make sure to leave ample time to sing goodbye. Goodbye songs are as important as greeting songs. Be sure to sing individual "goodbyes" to every child. Depending on your region's cultural norms, hugs and kisses (or "blowing" kisses) might be appropriate at this point in the class.

It is not over `till it’s over

Often, children will initiate music play after all the goodbyes have been sung, and all the toys have been put away. This is one of my most favorite parts of the class. I think of it as an encore. Go with the flow: interact with the children as long as you can without infringing on the next class's time.