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Towards the end of the year, many Western countries traditionally celebrate Christmas. With the increase in travel for so many reasons, it is clear that even this one occasion is not celebrated in the same way in each country and culture. In the last few years, we have celebrated in December with special lists of […]
Inclusive End of Year Musical Celebrations in the Early Years Read More »
Death is a tricky subject to manage in the early years. Often adults avoid it, not knowing how to approach children’s forthright and seemingly irreverent questions. Recognising that this discomfort comes from a place of personal fear and/or uncertainty can help us to withhold judgement of “right” and “wrong” ways to feel, and accept childrens’
Using Music to Manage Feelings Regarding Death in the Early Years Read More »
Last month we looked at the effect that music can have on mental health in the early years, and this month, we thought we’d have a look at the effect that music can have on physical health. The NHS constantly considers the health of the population to try plan the best use of their resources.
Physical Health and Music in the Early Years Read More »
While broadly the same, mental health looks a little different at different stages of life. In the early years, infant and early childhood mental health looks at a child’s ability to regulate their emotions, form secure relationships and explore environments. Post lockdown, the increase in demand for mental health services has increased to critical levels.
Mental Health and Music in the Early Years Read More »
Outdoor weather can be hit and miss at the best of times in the UK, but when the weather is good, it seems a pity to keep sessions indoors. Singing outdoors needs a music leader with a strong voice because sound travels differently in open spaces. And the temptation for children to run to favourite
Singing in the Sunshine: Taking Early Years Music Outdoors Read More »
Bautista et al (2022) considered the ways that settings currently use to meet their music needs: paying outside specialists to come in regularly; and, rarely, paying to train staff in music provision. Teacher training often only provided a few compulsory hours music education training or was offered as an option. Only around half of the
Early Years Music Education Training: Do We Need It? Part 2 Read More »
Ask a teenager what they do in their spare time, and they will often say, “listen to music”. Ask an adult what they do to relax, and they will often say, “listen to music”. Music is so pervasive that it is hard to think of any situation where you would not come across it. From
Early Years Music Education Training: Do We Need It? Part 1 Read More »
Early years classes can have a wide-ranging mix of representation. Whether through emigration or asylum, the different languages and heritages represented in groups has made diversity an aspect of life that is here to stay. History shows us that maintaining boundaries and division only increases separation and greater feelings of “us” and “them”, but sharing
Uniting Through Music: Crossing Intercultural Boundaries In The Early Years Read More »
Music is considered by many to be an international language that travels beyond traditional boundaries. Along with countries and cultures, music also transcends the boundary of health. Studies show that playing familiar music has been shown to improve cases of depression, anxiety, pre-operative stress and other high stress situations like dialysis and cancer treatments. Often
Integrating Music in Settings with Children with Autism Read More »
February is the month of love, so this month, we’re talking about music and relationships. Many songs are written on the topic of love, especially within adult contemporary music. Is it because love, like music, is a universal way of communication? We may never know, but music certainly has a way of evoking memories of
Loving Early Years Music: How Music Impacts Early Relationships Read More »
