Sunday, May 6, 2018

Why Write New Music for Preschool Aged Children?

Hi there- you found my early learning blog! You may know me as a teacher, or as a children's singer/songwriter- or as a fellow parent. I've been teaching and making music for a while now and realize parents may want to know more about what motivates my efforts. So the topic of my blog today is- why write new music for preschool age children?

There are plenty of good old standards for preschool students song-wise- "Old MacDonald," "Wheels on the Bus," and "Twinkle, Twinkle," to name a few. When I perform for families with preschool age children, I often include these old standards. Teachers and parents request them. Adults sing along, and that creates a really nice communal, sing-along experience for families. So why not just stop there and call it a day for the preschool crowd?

To rely on tradition and time tested songs is valuable in early learning, believe me- you want to be practical in what you do and incorporate music that people know and will work well for your class or performance. However, when you have the chance to work regularly with young children and their teachers and families, you have the opportunity to teach new songs- ones that are creative, inspiring, educational, fun, and reflective of the here and now.

I've had the opportunity to work every school day with the same young children, and know they are capable of learning new songs quickly. They are excellent at copying me, and when I add movements, hand motions or sign language, the process is often faster. The result is young singers raising their voices in a confident sing along of a new song, maybe one of mine! Indulgent teachers and parents are happy to participate as well.

Young children can also participate in music that is not in a sing along style. I often model dancing, active, playful listening, and incorporate visuals to engage in the story behind the song. This widens what can be practical and educational for students beyond the traditional sing along song. Skillful performers can engage young audiences with a combination of new music and visual or kinesthetic artistry on the spot, and no one need have prior knowledge of the music at all.

There are many choices for excellent new children's music, sing along or otherwise, but when it's your song and you are sharing it, your heart and creative spark is in it, and that is passed on to listeners. Children get to observe and participate in new art being made- sparking their own developing imaginations as future innovators. They mimic you and naturally try their own hands at doing exactly what you are doing for them.

This creative modeling is a valuable gift children's singer songwriters give to young children. It is well known, but cannot be said often enough: Children in their first six years of life experience more cognitive and social development than at any other period in their lives. It makes sense, then, that this would be the time to model creativity, as well as empathy, two crucial skills needed to be successful future adults in well functioning communities.

As for the palatability of new children's music- whether or not a parent or teacher (not just the child) would enjoy the song- that's up to the individual, as is all art, really. Children's singer songwriters have essentially two spectrums they could choose to serve, the young, developing mind, and the mature one with established tastes. That will be the subject of my next blog entry- so stay tuned!

6 comments:

  1. Hi Margot! Glad to see your new blog. I have had parents come up to me at library shows to thank me for not singing the "same old stuff." You are right that there are many terrific songwriters for young children. There are age-appropriate and super-engaging new songs, and I encourage everyone to seek out these songs and enjoy them with kids!

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    1. Hi Liz! Glad to see you here! I'm also glad your new songs are getting a good reception- they are so much more than not the "same old stuff," especially when you sing them live. For readers, here are a few places to seek out new children's music- aside from what you might see in children's programming on TV or in movies- Songsforteaching.com, Playtimeplaylist.com, and the Children's Music Network, at Childrensmusic.org. There are also several great radio shows for children that stream online- Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl, Imagination Parade, Radio Active Kids, Musical Merry-Go Round. Then there is Kid's Corner on WXPN, and Sirius XM's "Kid's Place Live." You can also check out what are your local offerings in terms of children's performers. Check places like Macaronikid.com in your area to see what is available and when their next offering will be.

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    2. And one more resource- Hilltown Families is based in Western MA, but they do a radio show that they also post on their website, HilltownFamilies.org. Liz's music (and my new music) will be on a show that I will guest DJ this Saturday, May 12. It's called the Hilltown Family Variety Show - Check it out!

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  2. Excellent article, Margot. When I taught the same children every day they definitely caught my excitement about singing and stretching our minds through music. The wealth of songs we wrote were the foundation of my Curious Giraffe Show and now the Children's Music Network, where I have met you, offers more original child-friendly songs all the time!

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    1. Thanks Dorothy! Teachers really do have the opportunity to learn so much from students- how they respond to music being just one of them. I love how in your show children share their ideas and can help teach others about important topics. It's very well done, and an opportunity for others to observe the process of sharing new music with children. For readers, you can find The Curious Giraffe Show on YouTube. Check it out!

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