In South Dakota, the cooler temperatures are here to stay as winter is quickly approaching. For many of us with young children to care for, that also means much more time indoors and desperately researching ways to allow our little ones to burn off their never-ending energy.
One indoor activity that is sure to exercise their arms and their minds is creating a band of instruments made from household items. Ask your children to find objects around the house that could be used as instruments such as pots and pans, wooden spoons, buckets, bowls, or even car keys. The author of an article published with The National Association for the Education of Young Children explains, “Young children explore music through play. They make discoveries through trial and error—’If I hit the tambourine lightly, it makes a soft sound. If I hit it hard, it makes a loud one.’ They listen to the musical beat and dance along with it.”
The article also shares an activity that is sure to entertain. “To make a simple shaker, put dried beans between two paper plates and staple the plates together. Find rhythm sticks outdoors. Use pan lids as cymbals, and march around the house. Try a slow march first, then a faster one.”
Try expanding the music-making activities by asking your children about the sounds that they made and heard. For example, one might ask, “What did you hear when you played the large pan? What did you hear when you played the smaller pan? Did they sound the same or different?” Learning to compare and contrast as well as identifying the sounds that they heard are important aspects in cultivating young, creative musicians.
In the book, The Child as Musician: A Handbook of Musical Development, the author explains, “Spontaneous musical play, such as singing, moving rhythmically, and playing with sound-making objects, is viewed positively and supported, for example, by setting out educational percussion instruments”.
Though it may seem a bit (or a lot) chaotic at the time, rest assured that allowing children the opportunity to create and experiment with sounds is more than just noise. The next time it’s too cold for outside play, put in some earplugs and invite the musical play and exploration inside!
References and Resources
“Playing with Music at Home”. NAEYC. Adapted from the Message in a Backpack for K.M. Hemple, J.J. Batey, & L.C. Hartle, 2008, "Music Play," Teaching Young Children 1 (2): 10–12. https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/playing-music-home Accessed Nov. 14, 2021.
Gary E. McPhearson. The Child as Musician: A Handbook of Musical Development. Oxford University Press, UK. (2016) 456.
Gina Mees is an elementary school music teacher in Sioux Falls and here is her story.
I was born and raised in Huron, South Dakota and have lived in this great state for my entire life. As a toddler, I remember climbing up onto my mom’s lap as she was giving piano lessons from our home. Slightly annoyed that some of her students struggled to play every note correctly, I would often stretch my fingers out onto the keys and play the song how it should have been played. Playing piano “by ear” was a gift that I was given in the womb as my mom played piano and gave lessons. During my high school years, I was deeply involved in the orchestra as a violinist and choir and knew that I wanted to continue music into college. At the University of South Dakota, I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Education and later earned a Master of Science degree in Technology for Teaching and Training.