Music and Craft

Who doesn't love a craft!

I believe thoughtfully curated crafts can be an integral part of an early education music class. It can break up the class hour, reinforce the lesson, and improve the skills of self-expression and fine muscles, both of which are important in music development.

Music class for the young child usually starts with singing hallmark songs, class favorites, and classic tunes. Often a teacher will cover a little music history or music theory in an age-appropriate manner. Many schools require performances for each group of children every year and a portion of the class is committed to rehearsing. A craft can be used as a break in the lesson between more academic musical teaching, learning new concepts and rehearsing, or at the end to wind down and listen to music as the students work. 

A craft can reinforce the day’s lesson. One of my favorites is to explain that all sound is vibration in the air and that musical instruments make these vibrations. We then make kazoos from popsicle sticks and rubber bands. The bands vibrate as the child blows through them demonstrating and reinforcing the concept we just learned.

Making a craft lets the student express themselves. They can make and decorate it to their own needs. Much of music is about self-expression and the craft encourages the child’s own interpretation of the activity.

Children have different learning styles and for the child that learns kinesthetically using their hands to create something they can take home and be proud of is meaningful. Encouraging students to sit down and create a piece of art while listening to music creates a multi-sensory opportunity for that child to learn. 

A craft can help create music literacy. The child is taking what they learned in the lesson and putting it into a tangible object they can keep. I believe crafts and music together make a great learning experience for the young child.