Educating the voices of young children:
The development of singing of children 0-4 years in Music on the lap courses in The Netherlands.

Margré van Gestel

Contents of the workshop:
Short introduction to ‘Music on the Lap’
The training of early childhood music teachers was started in The Netherlands in 1989. Nowadays music schools offer Mol courses were parent and child can make music together and sing. In preparing music lessons the Mol teacher connects songs and music activities to the age group and developmental areas: sense, emotional, social, language/speech, physical, musical and intellectual.
Overview of characteristic elements in the singing of children 0-4
The development of singing starts with the first cry. The first cry has all ingredients of singing: variations in pitch, intensity, rhythmic patterns and sentence structure. By the age of 4 children songs have bigger amplitude. The children have better pitch control and more control of tempo and dynamics. Melody, rhythm and words in songs are clearly recognisable.
Examples of/and practical work with songs used with children in different age groups linked to the development of singing
A song for a baby differs from a song for a toddler. Also the activities or movements accompanying the songs have to be linked to the development.
The development of the singing and other goals (in music education.)
The most important environmental influence on (the singing of) children is the family. Mol provides positive experiences for parents and children, including opportunities for connecting with other parents, revitalizing the joy of music making, and increasing parents’ repertoire of children’s songs.
Parents learn to provide support and encouragement for their child during the early stages of musical development.

Margré van Gestel
Music pedagogue
Teacher trainer ‘Music on the lap’
De Meerkoet 1
2761 SM Zevenhuizen
The Netherlands
31(0) 180-632829
E-mail: v_gestel@hotmail.com
E-mail: info@zingendoemaarmee.nl