Sound Off!

It’s the Easter Holidays and I, like many of you parents, are trying to fill the day with activities to keep the children occupied without causing too much havoc!

As a Home School Parent, as well as a teacher, I do find it difficult to unleash freedom or exploratory ‘fun’ play to the boys. Don’t get me wrong; we still have lots of fun. Yet I have never really been that parent, or teacher, that gets as excited as the children do when everything is messy and covered in glitter.

When I am not being a parent and a blogger I do actually have a part time job: I teach Piano, Guitar and Music Theory as the main subjects and usually based behind individual half hour lessons.

Although growing up I have to admit that I detested learning a variety of instruments; at the time I couldn’t really see that there was a need for me to learn them as I never really saw that there was a career in it. It was only when I applied for my first teaching job and was asked “what makes you different from all of the other candidates?” that I stopped in my tracks, racked my brain and realised that all those years locked in my room learning to play would possibly be beneficial.

I include music as part of my home school curriculum with William; he is currently learning the piano and the recorder, both of which he is progressing well.

However, one thing that I am aware of is that Music still should be fun; I promote in all of my lessons that music can be fun and should be enjoyed and, subsequently, this is something that I want to promote to both the boys.

On the odd occasion, like these holidays, we might just have a conversation and then build music based up around it. I thought then that I would give you an idea of what we do and how it is useful:

We usually start off with just a normal conversation, something that the boys and I have been talking about; take the weather as an example: It’s cloudy out today what do you think that means?

From this point we then discuss if it will turn out to be sunny or if it might rain. We then progress through to what sound does rain make? (Does that make sense?)

This is usually the hardest part but it is crucial; invite the children to stand quietly and listen to what’s around us. I find asking questions is great here: What was that you just heard? Is that a natural sound or a man-made noise?  

I have found that through asking questions and making them think directly about the noise or sound they hear that they produce a specific preference.

(Although I have to admit that my two only have one specific preference to sound….loud)

Our Next step:

Make your own instruments.

Turn a few saucepans upside down and use them as drums or use saucepan lids to make cymbals. Use different cutlery; explore the difference in sound between a wooden spoon and a metal one. Or, one of our favourites, use old items within the recycling and turn them into your own instrument; with old plastic bottles or cans, pasta and rice you can make a shaker.

What I have found interesting with my boys, as well as other children, is that doing this on a regular basis allows and encourages the children to explore sounds; however, it becomes very apparent, quite quickly, that they recognise or reach out too, sounds that they know will be familiar and relevant to the topic.

Ultimately this kind of day is not just educational but it also lets the boys’ stamp, jump, clap and create musical instruments through everyday objects, with the added bonus of developing an awareness of sound.