Regardless of any talent they may have, almost all children feel an irrepressible joy in making music. Generating melodies, rhythms and tones yourself and varying them freely is good for the child’s soul, its ability to express itself and its intellectual and creative development, and it also trains the memory; Language and motor skills are encouraged and that is why early musical education is so important. But how do you open up the world of music to your own offspring, especially if you are not particularly musical yourself? At what age does musical support make sense? Does a child have to have talent? And how do you deal with practice discipline and failure? What to do if neighbors complain about music noise ?
Early musical education at home and in daycare – all beginnings are not that difficult
Music is an integral part of human nature, and so early childhood enthusiasm for melodic sounds can be awakened through auditions, humming, kneeling and gossip verses, lullabies and sung rhymes. It’s not that important that all the tones are right – what’s important is having fun with it. Small rattles, tambourines, glockenspiels and sounding sticks are certainly not always used in a particularly considerate manner towards stressed parents’ nerves, but they bring important learning experiences for the little ones.
Early music education at home through auditions and story songs:
From the age of three, children already understand stories set to music such as “Peter and the Wolf” and “The Animal Carnival”, the story songs of the musician Reinhard Lakomy fascinate whole generations. The shared experience should always be in the foreground, the children need a contact person to reflect on and process what they have heard. Kindergartens and adult education centers occasionally offer suitable courses, and it is often also possible to use events with freelance music teachers. More on the subject of language development through music
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A piano, a piano! – Early musical education with musical instruments
Singing is great, but getting a good sound out of an instrument is a great experience for children. Of course, the practice should not be underestimated, but this is where the youngsters learn one of the most important lessons: effort pays off, discipline and perseverance are rewarded! Depending on motor and mental maturity, instrumental lessons can be started between the ages of 5 and 7. If a child begins to learn an instrument during this time, the professional skills in puberty have usually progressed so far that the music can be used as a kind of “soul valve” – a great relief for the whole family in this phase of upheaval. The recorder, violin, piano, guitar and cello are suitable as introductory instruments. Within so-called music carousels, children can try out an instrument for several months and then switch to the next. This is the best way to find out which little musician actually likes the most, because the most important prerequisite for success and a lasting relationship with music is a loving bond between musician and instrument. By the way, you often don’t have to buy it right away, but can borrow it from music schools at a reasonable price.
How important is talent and regular practice?
Younger children in particular still have to adjust to their bodies and have no relation to their voices. Wrong tones are therefore by no means an indication of a lack of musicality. In addition, making music also requires a good dose of courage. Sincere interest on the part of the parents helps to overcome initial difficulties, exaggerated ambition and pressure to perform are out of place. As long as the offspring enjoys learning and sees successes themselves, talent tends to take a back seat. Existing talents should of course be encouraged. Practicing should be part of the daily routine like brushing your teeth, should be planned accordingly and not be negotiable – after all, playing an instrument is only fun if you can do it. Even if the daily workload can be varied, the following applies: no pain, no gain!
Also read: When is house music noise pollution ?