FOL Fridays – The Music Inside

Twinkle twinkle little star from Family All Around MeChildren need opportunities to hear music sung, and they need invitations to hear music internally, with no external sound source.  Being able to hear music “in your head” (audiation) like this is an important part of musical literacy, just as learning to think sentences and  thoughts without speaking is an important feat in language development and part of early literacy development.  Omitting parts of familiar songs is one way to help children begin to “fill in the blanks” and hear music internally.

Fun at home or in the car: Sing a song like “Twinkle, Twinkle.” Leave out a word and then pause… you very well may hear your child fill it in!  Or hum a favorite tune and see what happens when you don’t sing the last note.  (Can you hear it in your head?!)

By singing a song and allowing your child to fill in the blanks, you are developing her sense of inner hearing as related to pitch and melody.  Singing a song in your mind is akin to thinking a story or making a plan without speaking out loud.  Remembering the sequence adds an additional level of complexity.  It is a necessary life skill.

Shared by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

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