How to Introduce Music to Your Little Ones

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a true musical prodigy. Forced to a harsh practice routine by his father, by age six he was creating compositions. He wrote his first opera at 14. But most kids do not, and should not, require an introduction to music or a musical education as intense as young Mozart’s. First and foremost, music should be fun and interactive. 

Music and Little Kids 

From birth to about age four, music is all about interaction and involvement. Musical learning at this age should be more freeform. One of the best ways to involve your child with music is to find a CD, DVD, or playlist for kids. The rule, though? You have to sing and move along with them and the music. Don’t worry if singing isn’t your thing. It helps if you’re on pitch, but it’s not essential; interaction is the most important thing. Children won’t get the same experience if a parent or caretaker isn’t at their level interacting with them and with the song. 

While it is better to find quality music and children’s albums, simply playing music is the aim. Children’s performers I play for my daughter include Raffi, Sharon, Lois, and Bram (who remembers The Elephant Show?), and Charlie Hope. On-demand music services like Amazon and Spotify have many playlists you can search through. We usually have some music on in the background, whether we’re at home or in the car, everything from classical to Beatles-era to today’s pop. 

Making up songs or changing song lyrics to fit the situation is another way to involve your child. With my daughter, I narrate what I’m doing through song: “It’s time toooo… wash wash wash wash wash the baby…” or we come up with songs about balloons or bubbles or brushing our teeth. 

Music and Older Kids

Once your child is a little older, they can start more formal lessons. The exact age depends on the readiness of your child, but most children should be able to read and, for instruments, have well-developed fine motor control. 

However, it is incredibly important to remember at this point that you’re setting the foundation for proper technique that your child will build upon later on down the road. Too much too soon can damage young vocal chords and lead to poor technique. He or she can begin to develop and expand upon information already learned after puberty. The primary purpose is to make sure students have fun, learn the basics, and don’t do damage to themselves.

It’s All About Fun 

The most important thing to remember is to keep music fun, no matter the age. A local music teacher I spoke with emphasized the point that “if music is not fun, we’re doing something terribly wrong.” Music, especially with young children, should be engaging and border more on play. If you’re looking for something a little more structured but still fun, there are several local music classes available.

Concerts, shows, and musicals, especially those geared towards children, can also truly ignite their passion for music. Some of my earliest and most-treasured memories focus on finally being old enough to go with my parents and grandparents to the symphony or to see musicals. And at a recent concert, Josh Groban implored his audience to take the children in their lives to see music—any music—because it can help spark a life-long love of and appreciation for music, just as it did for him (and for me). 

In the end, the point is to help your little ones learn to love and appreciate music. That’s the first step in any musical learning that may come next. 

Thank you to Annette Minnich, a local music instructor, for supplying some of the information for this post.