Music

We have a music & movement area

Most children like making noise. Teaching through music is a very important concept in High Scope.

A few children are surprisingly musical at a very early age. Some, however, do not like music at all.

I offer them different 'instruments' and they can try them out. Like in all other activities, those children who do not like musical activities are not forced to join in.

Children are also encouraged to join into nursery rhymes and songs, which I do with them every day.

If they don't want to participate, they are not forced to join in.

I feel very strongly that force is not acceptable because it will put children off music altogether.

I find the Children Action Songs by Joyce O'Hara excellent for doing Music and Movement with young children.

Moreover, I use the Singing Rascals books and tapes from the Colourstrings programme, which is an excellent programme to teach very young children music.

We sing little Irish rhymes and songs for our daily activities. Please see the Irish page for more details.

These are some of the instruments we use:

Xylophone
Vibraphone
Thumb pianos
Cymbal crocodile
Triangles
Frog
Piano
Cricket
Keyboard
Drums
Recorders
Tin whistle
Various small whistles
Bird whistles
Various rattles
Maracas (different kinds)
Tambourine
Jingle Bells
Castagnettes (various)
Rain sticks
Sound boxes
Sound eggs
Rattles (home-made)
Bongos