Make it fun!
“I’m new to teaching music to young kids. How do I get their attention?”
So you have a new assignment – teaching music in a preschool classroom and you are quivering in your boots. You know how to handle fourteen year-olds with your quicks wits and sure-fire music lessons but what about those unpredictable four-year-olds? Here are five tips:
- 1. Be prepared, in fact be over-prepared. Have enough different things up your sleeve to change tack every couple of minutes if necessary. Have a look at these great lesson plans to get you started.
- 2. Choose mainly song-based activities, even if you want to concentrate on playing instruments. Everything goes better with a song and if they can sing-along with you quickly you’ve chosen well.
- 3. Choose songs with animals in them until you get to know what else interests them- kids love animals and not just the fluffy ones! They love bugs and slugs and crocs and bears.
- 4. Have a mystery bag or box with stuff hidden from view and ask them to sit still and watch while you reveal what’s inside- that gives you a moment to catch your breath and calm things down but don’t keep them waiting too long or they’ll vote with their feet!
- 5. Variety, variety, variety. Choose several different activities such as body percussion, finger plays, instrument games, whole body movement, drama, games, dances and story songs and they will always remember that you have lots to offer and that music with you is fun!
