Playing Musical Instruments with Young Children: From Exploration to Intention

There are so many benefits when it comes to playing musical instruments with children – from increased self-discipline, to enhanced memory and spatial reasoning, improved literacy skills … and the list goes on.

But how do we achieve these outcomes in early childhood education and care programs?

Most kindergartens, long day care centres, family day care settings and playgroups will have an “instrument box” filled with shakers, drums, bells and other sound-makers. These boxes are often set up for exploratory play, giving children the chance to discover sounds, improvise, and create music in an open-ended way. This is fantastic, and an important part of learning.

However, alongside exploration, instruments can also be used in a more intentional way to teach children the elements of music and important life skills. Let’s explore two key approaches: The Power of Class Sets and The Fundamentals.

The Power of Class Sets

A box of random instruments is wonderful, but it can also lead to the familiar conflicts:

• “I was playing with the triangle!”
• “She took the drum off me!”
• “I want the pink one!”

Sometimes it feels easier to avoid instruments altogether – but this is where “The Power of Class Sets” changes everything.

When every child has the same instrument, distractions are removed and children can focus on the music-making itself. Everyone is working with the same sounds, ideas and actions.

And the good news? Class sets don’t need to be expensive. You can start small with low-cost or homemade options – such as shakers made from bottle, jelly cups to tap together, frisbees to drum, wooden spoons or simple rhythm sticks – and gradually add higher-quality instruments to your collection over time.

When purchasing, aim for instruments that are durable and have good sound quality. Wherever possible, support local music stores that stock child-friendly instruments.

The Fundamentals

The Fundamentals are a set of simple, repeatable activities that build both musical and developmental skills.

These activities work with children of all ages and with any type of instrument. Repetition is key. Even if babies are only watching or experimenting in their own way, over time they begin to respond and join in.

Play and Stop (experimenting with sounds)

Children learn to play their instrument and then stop when signalled. This develops:

• An understanding of sound and silence.
• The ability to experiment with different ways of playing (tapping, scraping, shaking, rubbing).
• The important life skill of self-regulation – learning how and when to stop.

This skill transfers beyond music: waiting for a turn, stopping to listen, or pausing for safety.

Children can share their discoveries about the different sounds an instrument makes, building both musical vocabulary and confidence in self-expression.

This is the Way

Sung to the tune of "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush", this activity introduces musical elements such as soft / loud (dynamics) and slow / fast (tempo). For example:

“This is the way we softly play, softly play, softly play … on a cold and frosty morning.”

Children love suggesting variations, and older groups can experiment by combining elements – playing softly and slowly, or loudly and quickly.

Why It Matters

Playing instruments isn’t just about making noise. Through structured activities like these, children learn:

• Musical elements such as rhythm, dynamics and tempo.
• Social skills like cooperation, turn-taking and listening.
• Cognitive skills including memory, focus and self-regulation.

By combining open-ended exploration with intentional teaching, you create rich opportunities for children to develop both musically and personally.

So next time you bring out the instrument box or you're planning for music-learning, consider how “The Power of Class Sets” and “The Fundamentals” could transform your group time. With repetition, enthusiasm and creativity, you’ll be amazed at how quickly children grasp these skills – and how much joy instruments bring to your learning environment.

🎉 Ready to put these ideas into practice? I’d love to invite you to join me for a free online workshop: “Boom! Crash! Bang! DIY Musical Instrument Ideas for Early Childhood”..

Together we’ll explore creative, low-cost ways to make your own class sets of instruments, plus practical tips for using them with children of all ages. Whether you’re an educator, carer, or parent, this session will spark fresh ideas to bring more music, fun and learning into your day.

WATCH THE REPLAY HERE (FOR FREE)

(Replay available until Tuesday 9 September @ 5pm)