Features

Building confidence through music

It’s hard to imagine any setting without music and sound. Music is an important aspect of the early years, says Sally-Anne Brown and Vic Holmes, directors of a community of learning for early years music.

The National Plan for Music Education, published in June 2022, is clear that developing a strong foundation in music during the early years is vital.

Music is a communicative, it builds bonds, strengthens relationships and can support other areas of learning. Importantly, it can help to regulate mood and emotion, and help children to feel more settled.

Here, we outline some musical ideas which can help children to feel more secure and prepare them for transitions.

Continuity in the music session

Repeated songs and music that feature in your music time are useful. These ‘musical markers’ help the children know what to expect and when, such as the same hello and goodbye songs which mention everyone by name.

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