PRESCHOOLERS

[punkpianist360]

Okay, so my church just hired me to teach music to preschoolers, and I have absolutely no where to start.  Basically, they put me on there, and I basically improvise.  Any ideas on what to do?  I start Friday.

[ajspiano]

Its groups yeh? - you will need a series of different group games that involve different skills.

Consider your age groups, are they all 5-6 or do you have some 3-4 yr olds as well. Even aside from ages you may have different levels of development which may mean you need to catch some of the younger or less learned ones up. You can do musical alphabet here, challenges include things like doing it backward "GFEDBCA" or in a thirds pattern "ACBDCE...etc" or just "ACEGBDF" ...though you wouldn't start here, first you need to assess whether they even know the alphabet, and whether they just know the song or actually KNOW the letters. If they can read the letters you can do things like fixing the order of mixed up letters. You will need a visual aid like flash cards with each letter. Consider how your going to make this stuff work based on the size of your group..

Basic rhythm skills - ta (crotchet) ti-ti (quavers) is an easy to understand system for little ones. You can use flash cards here too, 1 child can make a pattern of 4 beats, another can read it and you moderate it.

Plan a "game" you are going to use, give it a name so that the kids know it and can remember and ask to play it again a following week. Tell them it's a "game" because it will motivate them.. For example, the first one for testing I that can read letters is "what's this letter" the rules are that you will show them a card that has a letter, and one of them will tell you what it is. Tell them this, and that they can't all just yell out, you wan them to raise a hand if they know for example...  Go through them in order first...

/end rant - you need to properly assess their capabilities and make a choice based on what they can handle. Go slowly, don't assume they can do things that you take for granted as an adult (your an adult right?)

[ajspiano]

I might add -

You can consider a general principal of encouraging improved attempts rather than correcting mistakes. What I mean is that as the challenges get tougher, observe where they mess up and then teach something to do with that in the following challenge but in a simpler form so as to foster quicker learning and correct attempts (not always going to happen ofcourse). This will make them feel sucessful and as though they are acheiving something.

..as opposed to if you have to repeatedly go over mistakes when they first happen the kids can get stalled and feel like they can't do it. You want to keep the action moving and keep them learning and having fun.

For example, if the challenge is fix the order of these letters, and you end up with ABCDFEG - you would avoid saying that the student is wrong. Rather, either get someone else to try it, and let them one that made an error cath up in the background. Or, if you are going to highlight the mistake, use a wording like "that's great, it looks like E and F have got themselves mixed up though - maybe you can help them get into the right place."

Depending on your kids you may need to come up with more physical ideas (because they can't sit still) - I don't teach in groups so I'm just spouting untested ideas here, but say you had a large group, maybe you could get them to imitate note stems by standing up, two of them could create a group of quavers by joining arms? ..so a group of kids form a rhymic pattern and 1 or 2 others read the life size notation..

[fleetfingers]

Preschoolers . . . so 3- to 4-year-olds? The best thing is to keep them engaged in doing something (don't sit and talk to them for too long), and change activities every 10 minutes.

Their involvement can be very simple. Something that we think is silly, they will find fun and entertaining. For example, singing songs and doing actions. Kids love to sing - I would start there. Move your hands (have them do it with you) up and down as you sing, indicating what note you are on. I've even seen some people teach with hand signs for do, re, mi, etc. as they move up and down. Or, have them each hold a picture of what they're singing about...like stars for twinkle (they can hold them up high for "up above the world so high").

March around the room and have them follow you in a line and copy the rhythmic steps you make (along to music and/or singing).

Let them take turns standing in front of the group and holding up signs - one that says "f" for forte and one that says "p" for piano. They have one in each hand and get to hold up one at a time and switch it whenever they want. The rest of the kids have to sing through songs and follow the signs, by singing loud or soft. Of course, you will have to explain to them what the f and p mean...then model what to do. With any of these games, expect it to take a few tries or more before they catch on.

Some kids this age do not pay attention long enough to make much eye contact, and it may seem like they are not paying attention. Just keep them busy and keep encouraging....you'll be amazed at how much they are soaking up when it seems they are just being wiggly. Oh, have them sit in a designated spot....a blanket or carpet squares or something.

Do you have any bells, tambourines, triangles, xylophones, sticks that they can play?

After a number of lessons, if you want to teach them notes...start with the staff and talk about the lines and spaces for a while first. Instead of using your hands in the air to move up and down with your voice, show how a note can move up and down on the lines and spaces. Things like that. Then introduce letters. I made puzzles of piano keys and matching letters for my 3-year-old students to put together at each lesson.

In addition to showing them pictures of notes, let them draw. They can make circles and lines no problem. Again, keep them busy doing something!

Talk to them in a cheesy, excited voice. You will feel silly, but they will love it. I hope this gives you some ideas to start with. If all else fails, have a bottle of bubbles ready!  Good luck!

[keyofc]

Check out theorytime.com
I was just looking for ideas and found them to be very helpful with preschoolers.
All of their activity sheets are reproducible too - which is a big plus.
Very cute and good learning aids.
I don't work there, by the way.