John Morrow has been working alongside the staff and children for over a year now and the additional experiences he brings to the setting are exciting and stimulating and most importantly fun. John’s sessions at nursery offer a variety of opportunities for our children. They experience music from all different types of objects including traditional musical instruments, used in all sorts of ways, instruments from other countries to household and garden objects and recycled materials.
John has introduced children to the idea that music is everywhere and music can be made from anything, making it readily available and cheap. From wooden spoons with pans to car keys, tubes and buckets or simply using our voices or clapping hands to tap out a rhythm. John has allowed the children to share music as part of a group times, for listening and learning about music, pitch, rhythm, and composition (with up and down drawing) using home made and real instruments.
What can music do for our children
Music and song are an excellent way to promote listening. Music activities in groups develop social skills, taking turns, sharing, singing in time and phonic awareness which in turn develops early reading and literacy skills. Clapping and percussion encourages gross and fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and physical confidence, as does marching, action songs and dance. Activities which occur when engaged in musical activities, are essential for handwriting and mark making. Music is a valued part of our nursery day and children’s lives as it is such a significant element of speech and language development and essential for reading and writing.