Reflections on the Early Years Music Programme

Find below blog from Ruth Spencer who has been delivering music sessions as part of Our Future City’s Early Years Music Programme.

The Our Future City early years music project ticks a lot of boxes for me: I love using music with early years; the more interactive the better; I’ve always tried to make music accessible to all; I love a new challenge.

A group of practitioners are offering music groups in early years contexts where people may not usually access it. As part of this project I have ended up working with some very young parents in challenging circumstances with their toddlers. It has been a privilege to be part of their lives, and has been so encouraging to facilitate them interacting together in a different way, and discovering ways of enjoying music together, as well as the parents rediscovering an enjoyment of music. I have also been involved in doing music at a number of Groups for Bilingual Families. It has been really encouraging to witness the toddlers growing in confidence through their music making, and see parents and toddlers enjoying being together in the music. Because music does not need words, there are no language barriers, and people from all cultures have been able to interact and make music together.

In both of these settings I have seen people becoming less isolated as they have joined in the shared music making. Parents have felt empowered as they have seen their children in a different context and found new ways of being with them. A lot have said they are taking ideas home and doing some of the musical activities there.

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