Selecting Music for Children

By Rebecca Devers

The child's whole world is filled with sound and music. It is everywhere. Children all over the world bring with them their ability to make and respond to music. They like to explore its many possibilities, like to create it and are highly motivated by its fascinating sounds and rhythms. (1) From the moment of birth and even before, children adapt to the sounds within their environment, relating them to their own abilities to create and explore the rhythms and tonal patterns of sound. Since response to sound is one of the most highly developed abilities in the newborn, children need to be musically nurtured from birth. Singing soft rhythmical songs brings a sense of camness and security to the sensitive infant. Lullabies from the greatest composers and spontaneous melodies sung and hummed by loving guardians have brought comfort and sleep to countless babies. It is not the quality of the voice that matters but the connection made with the child that is of most importance.

Around three years of age children are beginning to take a real interest in music activities of all kinds. It is a good time for parents and teachers to begin to help children understand that there is a structure to music. When music is presented within a cognitive framework that is appropriate for young children, meaning and understanding should result. (2) At this age children are almost continually in motion: walking, jumping, running, swinging, galloping, stomping and clapping. In many instances these movements can be channeled into the dramatization of action songs or simple, musical episodes or stories. For children and adults alike, movement is important to one's health and mental well-being. It raises spirits and, in general, makes one a happier person. Singing games such as "Ring Around the Rosies," "London Bridge Is Falling Down," "Looby Loo," and the "Hokey Pokey" are ideal for initiating movements and bringing children together in a cooperative, happy experience.

Children, ages 4-5, are probably our most persistent music makers. They create more music, explor more conscientiously, use music more consistently and spontaneously, and are more strongly motivated toward music than any other age group. (3) By the time children are 4 or 5, they are ready for more planned experiences. These activities should include a balance of events, such as listening and appreciation, singing, playing instruments and sound-making, creating songs and melodies, and moving about extensively.

Listening is embodied in every phase of every activity that contributes to musical understanding and growth. It is considered to be the foundation for all musical experiences. By the time children are 4 or 5 they are more ready to sit attentively for a short performance or to listen to a short recording. Program music which includes stories in music, such as Peter and the Wolf by Sergie Prokofiev can be used during this time. This music is good for introducing and reviewing some of the instruments of the orchestra. Young children thoroughly enjoy listening and moving to marches such as "Stars and Stripes Forever" and other marches by John Philip Sousa. Children also like to listen to a composition and then make up a story about the music. A favorite activity is hearing stories set to music, such as "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" or "The Gingerbread Man" and dramatizing them afterwards. This type of activity seems to create a real interest in music during the early years.

Singing brings much joy to children. The majority of young children love to sing and love to be sung to. At ages 4 and 5 many little voices will not be able to carry a tune. One must be careful not to place too much emphasis on singing in tune and building musical skills at this time. (4) The group leader should choose as many songs as possible that are written between middle C and the A above. Children should be exposed to many songs that are easy for them if their singing voices are to be encouraged. Use songs that have a limited number of pitch leaps, ones that do not wander all over the keyboard. (5) Good examples would such songs as "Deedle, Deedle, Dumpling" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."

Songs that make use of repeated words, musical phrases, or repeated rhythmic patterns are good choices . An example of this is "Do You Know the Muffin Man?"(5) Unlimited potential exists in these rhymes for fostering language and speech development by teaching awareness of pitch (high, low), dynamics (loud, soft), tempo, and meter (e.g. rocking, marching).(6) Nursery rhymes and songs should be taught to children through participation. Teach the rhythmic beat through such movements as clapping, patting, tapping or marching. When the words are known, simple percussion instruments may sometimes be used to keep the beat, add tone-color, illustrate the words, or give interest and variety.(7) Suitable instruments for keeping a clear beat are rhythm sticks, drums, tambourines, woodblocks and cymbals.

Rhythmic chants, finger plays, and song-stories are three common practices that utilize the elements of rhythm and repetition. Finger plays appeal strongly to the very young child because they give him/her the attention of important adults in his/her life. Physical nearness and imitation, eye contact, and shared expression of feeling all stimulate activity and build ego strength. (8) The movement of fingers, hands, and other parts of the body develop kinetic awareness and muscular coordination. Some well know examples of these are "Where Is Thumbkin?", "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on a Bed."

Rhythmic chants and movements develop an awareness in the young child of the beat underlying music. They also introduce him/her to the experience of accent and meter. "Peanut Butter" and "Hambone, Hambone, Where You Been?" are two good examples of changes.

Song-stories combine chanting and singing to tell the story with motions to keep the beat. Based on folk or nursery tales, they contain much repetition and follow the syncopated rhythms of natural speech. (9) The familiar story of "The Three Bears" can be turned into "The Three Bears Jive" when a snap and clap are added. The "Little Red Hen" can be transformed as well into "The Red Hen Rap" when side slaps and stomps are used.

It is extremely important to select song material that is appropriate for a child at a specific age level. Choose songs where the subject matter and words are closely related to the child's understanding and interests. Younger children particularly enjoy action songs and singing games, contemporary and television-related songs and songs about:

the space age,

their own names,

fun and nonsense,

their families and friends,

feelings,

nature and seasons,

holidays,

school activities,

their bodies,

animals and pets.

Short songs will probably bring more success, but longer ones like "Puff, the Magic Dragon" and "Over in the Meadow" should not be ruled out. Question and answer songs, such as "Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?" are favorites with children. Songs of this type also help develop critical thinking. Teachers should also look for songs that contain no more than two phrases and utilize the pentatonic scale.

Another key element that should be examined when selecting music for children is the relationship between the words and the melody. The meaning of the words should be reflected in the style of the music. The phrasing of the words and the melody line should coincide. The goal should be for the words and melody to fit together like a hand in a glove.(10)

One of the main objectives of music is to make children's lives richer through musical experiences that will help develop their aesthetic senses. A balance of musical activities can contribute to the development of all children according to their individual patterns of growth. Teachers and parents alike must recognize and plan for well-balanced musical experiences for all children, adapted to their physical, emotional, and intellectual capabilities.(11)

Bibliography

1. Bayless, Kathleen M. and Marjorie E. Ramsey. MUSIC: A Way of Life for the Young Child
Columbus: Merrill Publishing Company, 1987.
2. Ibid, Bayless.
3. McDonald, Dorothy T. Music in Our Lives; The Early Years. Washington, D.C.:

National Association for the Education of Young Children, 1979.
4. Ibid, Bayless.
5. Campbell, Patricia S. and Carol Scott-Kassner. Music in Childhood: From Preschool through

Elementary Grades New York: Schirmer, 1995.
6. Haines, Joan E. and Linda L. Gerber. Leading Young Children to Music New York:

Merrill Publishing Company, 1992.
7. Ibid, Haines.
8. Ibid, Haines.
9. Ibid, Haines.
10. Ibid, Haines.
11. Ibid, Bayless.

Other Sources Referenced

Aronoff, Frances W. Music and Young Children. New York: Holt, Rinehart and

Winston, 1969.
Batcheller, John M. Music in Early Childhood. New York: The Center for Applied

Research in Education, 1975.
Glenn, Neal E. Teaching Music in Our Schools. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown, 1954.

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