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Ages 3-5
At the preschool level, music activities should include and encourage movement, emphasizing the use of large muscles. Learning should focus on musical contrasts, such as high/low, long/short, fast/slow, and loud/soft. Kindermusik is an excellent way to introduce your child to music.
Children ages three to five can:
- hear and demonstrate the difference between speaking and singing.
- begin to "match" their voices with others' voices and with instruments, usually within a range of d' (d above "middle" c) to a'.
- enjoy imaginative and creative play, imitating people, animals, etc.
- learn simple action songs and games with finger plays and hand movements, animal songs, counting songs, and hymns.
- respond to music by walking, marching, running, etc.
- begin to develop a sense of tonality
- learn to use simple percussion instruments (see Orff Instruments, below) to beat time to music and to create various sound effects.
Orff Instruments
Orff instruments are children's first rhythm instruments, often used to teach motor coordination and basic musical concepts. They are a valuable part of musical instruction at the preschool and lower elementary levels. Some of the Orff instruments available through Pecknel Music are:
| xylophone |
tambourine |
hand drum |
| chime bars |
triangle |
wood block |
| glockenspiel |
finger cymbals |
temple blocks |
| hand bells |
jingle stick |
castanets |
| sleigh bells |
wrist bells |
claves |
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Ages 6-8
At the early elementary level, children begin to sing on pitch most of the time, and can often sing simple rounds. This is an excellent time to begin teaching concert-audience manners by attending concerts (especially outdoors and children's concerts), recitals, musical productions, and other special events. Check out children's concerts such as the Greenville Symphony's Lollipops Series!
Six through eight year olds can
- learn to match pitch with another voice or an instrument, usually within a range of c' ("middle" c) to c" (the c above).
- identify and sing ascending and descending melodies, and melodies that move by step or leap.
- read simple melodies and rhythms
- understand and perform rhythms using quarter, eighth, and half notes.
- comprehend duple and triple meter, and learn to distinguish repeated rhythm patterns.
- play bells from simple notation.
- recognize repeated and contrasting phrases of music.
- identify most of the common band and orchestra instruments by sight and sound.
- learn about the relationship of music to our culture and to other cultures.
- enjoy simple compositional activities.
 Recorders
Third or fourth grade is the ideal time to begin studying the recorder. At this age, children derive a great deal of enjoyment from playing melodies, playing in small groups, and accompanying the family singing. And what an excellent way to lay the foundation for piano and/or instrument study in the future! Pecknel Music in Greenville offers 10-week classes in recorder for third and fourth graders (no previous music study necessary), and offers a wide variety of recorders, method books, and music for sale. For more information, please see visit our Music Education Center.
Music Readiness/Keyboard Familiarity
Keyboard musicianship for the preschool or early elementary child differs greatly from piano instruction in the traditional sense. Rather, it typically includes a variety of activities, emphasizing rhythm and movement, large muscle coordination, singing, listening, visual recognition drills, creative activities, and preparation for music reading.
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Ages 9-11
Children ages nine through eleven love to sing! You can develop your children's ability to sing harmony by using rounds, descants, ostinatos, and simple two-part pieces, while teaching them the fundamentals of good singing technique -- posture, breathing and diction.
At this age, children can:
- sing comfortably within the range c' to e", using head voice.
- develop their sight-singing skills, using solfege (a system which uses do-re-mi syllables and corresponding hand signs)
- understand and perform dotted rhythms.
- march to duple and quadruple rhythms, and learn to conduct 2, 3, and 4 beat meters.
- clap, step and write various rhythmic patterns played by a teacher.
- identify major and minor modes and common pitch intervals.
- understand the characteristics of melody.
- identify two- and three-part forms, rondos, theme and variations, and fugues.
- recognize aurally and visually slurs, repeats, accents, ritards, and accelerandos.
- enjoy listening to program music, folk and patriotic music, orchestral suites, operas, symphonies, and other larger musical forms.
- identify aurally and visually the more unusual instruments.
- listen to music and respond with written descriptions, stories, or artwork.
- create short pieces for different combinations of percussion instruments.
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Piano and Instrumental Instruction
We recommend that your child begin piano lessons in the fourth grade. At this age, a child has the attention span and physical coordination necessary to enjoy piano lessons, and is often able to practice with a minimum of parental assistance. Before this age, there is a (nationally documented) very high drop out rate - and most of those children who will drop out will never return. We believe it's better to wait just a little while - and help your child's chances of enjoying music for life.
Instrumental instruction can begin in the fifth grade or above; it's never too late to begin learning an instrument (or piano, for that matter)!
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