Music is a great way to uplift mood and expend energy for homeschoolers of all ages. If made a part of the daily schedule, the music session can lead to improved creativity in the homeschool students. It is also a great way for them to learn to express themselves in a light and playful manner. Here are some tips to consider when guiding them through a music session.
Don’t Be Formal
Formal musical instrument training needs more focus and practice, which can ruin the element of fun that simply playing brings. If your homeschool student shows signs of talent, by all means find them professional guidance. They can always go for formal musical instrument classes a couple of times a week. However, keep the music session held daily at home all about having fun.
Encourage Play
The actual playing of music is just a small part of the play that is happening. Accept the noise and make it a family band performance. Singing popular songs or nursery rhymes wto the beat being banged out by a child is perfectly acceptable behavior. You can set a timer for the musical session so that they can be guided back to the homeschool classroom for studies when the timer rings.
Experimental Instruments
Not having a guitar, drumset or any other specific musical instrument should not be a deterrent to creating music. Have your homeschool students experiment with creating their own musical instruments. A simple online search will provide craft projects to make homemade musical instruments. Scale the effort of creating the intruments to the age of the child.
Get Creative with Everyday Items
Everything around the house has the potential to become part of the daily music sessions. Elastic band guitars, or wooden spoon maracas work just as well as spoons on pots and pans. Have the homeschool students explore their musical side by creating music out of everything they can find. Encourage them to listen to the different notes created by striking different items together. Ask them which sounds they like, and which they don’t. Then go about creating your own harmony.
