Young children's musical activities in the home. Issue 6 (2nd November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Blackburn, Carolyn
• Is Part Of: Education 3-13. Volume 45:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 674
• Page End: 688
• Publication Date: 2017-11-02
• Subjects: Early years -- music -- communication -- parents and families -- policy; Education -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Education, Primary -- Periodicals; Education, Elementary -- Periodicals; 372.942
• DOI: 10.1080/03004279.2017.1342320
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0300-4279

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The association between human speech, language and communication (SLC) and participation in music is manifest in music education and psychology literature in a number of ways. Research studies into young children's SLC are numerous and policy focus on this area of children's learning and development and their later literacy has been intense. By contrast, there is a gap in research into young children's musical worlds especially in the home, even though existing research shows the additional benefits of shared music activities over shared reading activities for children's prosocial skills and music making for parent–child communication. This paper reports on a survey and interviews of parents carried out in England with a focus on the musical activities of children aged birth to five in the home. Contrary to previous studies, findings suggest that children participate in a range of spontaneous shared musical activities in the home daily. The factors that both promote and inhibit musical activities in the home for young children are highlighted. The study also shows that children are participating in a wide range of organised, structured musical activities outside the home. Research is needed to examine the quality of such activities and the appropriateness of formal musical activities for very young children to ensure that formality does not disturb spontaneity in young children's musical worlds.