Our music program aims to give children experiences which will:
- Aid their physical development through activities which encourage development of gross and fine motor skills and coordination and relaxation techniques. Each lesson contains many opportunities for children to practice various gross motor skills such as jumping or hopping. Fine motor skills are practiced through the use of finger plays with younger children and the playing of percussion instruments with the older children. Children are able to practice the skills introduced at their own level but they have the group support, which encourages them to strive for achievement in all skill areas.
- Enhance their emotional development through activities which require emotional expression, role playing, dramatization sharing taking turns and allow children to feel emotional satisfaction through fun, play, wellbeing and achievement in musical activities.
- Encourage their intellectual development through activities which will help children develop an understanding of music being a combination of these elements: beat, pitch, dynamics, harmony, melody, rhythm, tempo, tone color, and form.
- Allow them to experience group participation and thereby develop self-control, discipline and the skills of sharing and taking turns. Group participation also provides opportunities where children can experience feelings of success which assists the developing a child’s self-confidence.
- Provide opportunities for the creative participation of each child by encouraging children to make musical decisions (e.g. which instrument would be the best to accompany this lullaby?) and to contribute and share ideas in simple and fun improvisation activities.
- Relate to their present cultural heritage and future experiences.