Early Years Music and AI: Using New Tools Creatively

Artificial Intelligence or AI is arguably one of the biggest changes to industry, with the potential to impact all of education including early years, even music. Studies show that 90% of early years educators have heard of AI, 50% use it, 17% are prepared to pay for it, and 95% of early years educators believe it would be helpful in the classroom. But can it be used for creativity, like music?

The Future of AI

With the rise of AI, many industry leaders have recognised that accounts and law have more potential at being computerised and automated, well before replacing person-centred jobs like teaching, nursing and therapy. While many will wish to go back to simpler times before AI, it looks like it is here to stay, much like computers.

So while teachers won’t be replaced, they may instead find that AI becomes a powerful ally in supporting their research, prep, and paperwork. Imagine designing the perfect, age-appropriate early years music session, with all the research and perfectly-chosen examples ready for you, with just one perfectly worded question!

Research

A few companies are working on AI for nursery (kindergarten), like PopBots. They aim to improve the quality of early childhood education and have published studies claiming that where teachers have used AI, the quality of teaching improved dramatically.

Looking at a number of mainly western studies, one paper found that early years teaching quality improved specifically when using AI to teach foreign languages, as did participation skills and knowledge inquiry. Interestingly, researchers also found that AI helped children to learn creativity, emotional control, collaborative inquiry, literacy skills, and computational thinking.

This could be because AI is designed to personalise everything, even learning, and can instantly evaluate each child’s learning needs and cognitive state age-appropriately.

Limitations

As a tool, AI is great. However, as a creative producer, AI is still lacking. Some apps claim to be able to “write” new songs, but much like the “uncanny valley” of AI art, books and film, there is often something that feels not quite right. But in respect to teaching foundational concepts of music, AI could become the teacher’s most effective and accessible resource. So in honour of AI, I have put together a few a space-themed songs to use this month!

Aiken Drum

There was a man lived in the moon

Lived in the moon, lived in the moon

There was a man lived in the moon

And his name was Aiken Drum

And he played upon a ladle

A ladle, a ladle

And he played upon a ladle

And his name was Aiken Drum

And his coat was made of … (Samsung phones, Samsung phones, Samsung phones

And his coat was made of Samsung phones and his name was Aiken Drum)

And his shoes were made of … (hotdog buns, hotdog buns, hotbuns

And his shoes were made of hotdog buns and his name was Aiken Drum)

And his hat was made of … (silver coins, silver coins, silver coins

And his hat was made of silver coins and his name was Aiken Drum)

This lovely little song about the “man in the moon” uses the word “drum” which is a perfect segue to using the musical instrument. One idea is to have half the group of children sitting in a circle (like the planet earth) playing drums, while the other half move around the earth together in a huddle, like the moon going around the earth. This not only begins to teach them about teamwork, but also musical beat, planetary motion and co-operation. The verses could use creative ideas depending on the nursery theme – food, tech, toys, even Chinese New Year!

Rocket Ship

Rocket ship, rocket ship

Will you take me on a trip

I won’t cry and I won’t shout

If your engine knocks me out!

This version is a take on the classic Kodály song, Apple Tree. In preschool, as children begin to learn about sharing and turn taking, they sit in a circle and pass an object around, in this case, a “rocket”. Before children recognise the beat they feel/hear, they step, clap and pass toys randomly – it becomes a musical game when they recognise and respond to the beat. This is done by the teacher demonstrating how quickly to pass the rocket – either by stepping in time, clapping or identifying the syllable to pass on:

Rocket ship, Rocket ship, will you take me on a trip …

Twinkle Twinkle

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.