Recently, the toddlers have been showing an interest in creating different sounds with materials around our classroom, often by banging items on hard surfaces to see what sounds they make. To continue building on their interest, we brought in a variety of percussion instruments for them to experiment with.
Everyone was invited to choose an instrument ranging from drums, to shakers, to xylophones, and tambourines. We even had a large animal skin drum that was purchased at an Indigenous Powow. This invited discussion about how the drum was traditionally made, and the importance of being very gentle when using it. Many of the toddlers were curious to try striking the drum with the big drum stick. Their eyes lit up when they heard the loud “bang” of the drum. Our room quickly filled with music and joy as each child was excited to test out the different instruments available. One child discovered that they could control the volume of their drum by applying more or less pressure with the stick. Another child realized they could create multiple sounds at once by tapping on a drum with a shaker. We sang some songs while using the instruments and it was amazing to see such a sense of belonging among the group as everyone contributed in their own way!
This experience also encouraged the children to engage multiple senses at once. They used their sense of hearing as they paid attention to the unique noises of each one. They also engaged their sense of touch as they learned how to hold and use the different instruments, and felt their different textures. As our little musicians discover new ways of creating sound, I wonder what other instruments they might like to learn about. How else could they develop their love for music and movement?
