So why DO kids blur the line between work and play? Because play IS their work! Play is the most important activity of early childhood. So even when it looks like a child is “just” playing, there’s really some serious learning and developing happening as a result of the play.
Music and movement activities are perfect for inspiring a child’s play, not just in Kindermusik class but also at home, because musical activites:
- encourage children to think creatively and “out of the box”
- give children many opportunities for open-ended exploration
- use usual objects in unusual ways (i.e., a plastic hair curler that becomes a pull toy)
- invite children to use their imaginations
- stimulate expressive skills
- incorporate pretend play
Shared by Theresa Case who has an award-winning Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in upstate South Carolina.