CSMA offers a variety of preschool music classes for children starting as young as 3 months old and continuing until 5 years old. These classes teach children rhythm, instrument recognition and body movement. Studies show a strong connection between rhythm and pre-reading abilities such as oral language, letter recognition and phonological awareness.* Along with musical skills, students gain confidence in new situations, learn to trust their teacher, interact with peers and experience quality one-on-one time with their parents or caregiver.
Daniel Garcia has worked as a preschool music teacher at CSMA for more than seven years and at the Children’s Center of the Stanford Community, where he has been a faculty member for nearly 50 years. Here is what he has to say about young children: “I am certain that there is no more dynamic time than these early years in a person’s life and I have always tried to be responsive to the child’s curiosity and wonder. Regardless of one’s age, we yearn for beauty and harmony and sharing music is an attempt to provide these elements for children.” Take a look inside his Little Musicians 1 class for children 18 months to 3 years old.
In CSMA’s Little Musicians 1 class, students and parents are encouraged to take off their shoes and get comfortable. As families enter, Teacher Daniel greets every child with a choice between two toys and a friendly hello. As the children play, he begins to sing and strum his guitar marking the official start of the class. Daniel believes “the most important instrument for children is one’s voice. It can be both stimulating and soothing. Comforting and provocative.”
He moves the class along to interactive one-on-one time with the autoharp. Each child is called up and given a choice between two picks. After making his or her choice—usually with some parental encouragement—the child strums the harp, learning how to make different sounds with the instrument. While this activity may seem simple, the students experience a new instrument, learn about taking turns and gain confidence and trust in new situations. Some children take a few weeks to accomplish this task and Daniel allows them to go at their own pace.
He then brings out a large “Gathering Drum,” rolling it and tapping a beat in a ceremonial fashion that students recognize. The students gather around, tapping a familiar beat and playing the “Peanut Butter & Jelly” song with rhythmic beats and hand motions. The same ceremony is repeated upon the drum’s exit.
Next, the students and parents are given small rhythm sticks that they use to tap out the beat of simple songs and learn a breathing technique.
The students trade in their sticks for a toy animal and experience imaginary play with a musical element while the parents and teacher sing along to Raffi’s “Going to the Zoo Tomorrow.”
Daniel ends every class by calling each child up to hold a rope and pull. This action seems like a mundane activity to adults, but the children love every moment of it! The children start by holding and twirling a rope as Daniel sings a short tune. Then he tells them to pull. The kids slowly walk the rope backward until it won’t go any further, encouraged by the rest of the class. There is a clear sense of accomplishment by both students and their parents. Once again, we see confidence blossom, especially with our more shy kids who take many classes to accomplish this feat!
Every child does things in his or her own time. Daniel, and all of the preschool music teachers, offer a pressure-free environment for young children to explore music and so much more.
