Unstructured Play

A friend passed along an article that I found very interesting as a mom and a teacher.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514

I'd like to add to what is stated in the article that children who get lots of exposure to live music-making experiences with their parents (in class, at home, and/or community settings) often spend much of their self-directed free-play time singing or humming to themselves in addition to self-talk. Self-singing and self-talk do not necessarily need to be considered separately as two different skill sets. I think of them as two shades of one activity that complement and support each other.

I often hear my 2.5-year-old son singing to himself as he plays alone in his room. A current favorite is the ABC song. But, Isaac doesn't just sing it the same way every time. He used to, but sometimes now he'll substitute other words but sing the same melody. Sometimes he sings each letter with an extra made-up sound in front of it. The other day, my husband heard Isaac singing each letter, carefully alternating a loud one with a soft one. When he missed a change, he would back up and self-correct. We didn't teach him this stuff! We've played soft-loud singing games with him, and of course he's experienced contrasts in Music Together class, but he was the one who took it and applied to his own song and made it his own game. This kind of self-conducted musical play/work is not just going to make for a good singer or musician later on. I believe Isaac's little singing games help him develop his overall creativity, his ability to self-regulate, and will impact many aspects of academic learning later on.

In more concrete terms, think of a child who sings a lullaby to comfort her dolls. Is she not setting herself up for the later ability to comfort herself and others through song? How much better to be able to sing oneself to peace rather than relying on external stimuli!

Structured, parent-led or teacher-led activities are not necessarily "bad" for your preschooler, but there is no doubt that young children need lots of unstructured times to filter through those experiences and process them in the little private world of imagination and self-directed play. Although I'm constantly exhorting you to sing with your child at home, those quiet times when the stereo is turned off and the child plays, talks, and sings alone in a quiet room are very important too! Resist the urge to leap in and start singing. Just stand in the hallway and listen.