Tips To Incorporate Music Into The Montessori Classroom

Music is a fundamental part of a child’s education, especially in the early years. It can help children develop their language skills, it can enrich every lesson, and it allows children to refine their movements when music is accompanied by dance. It is very difficult to find a child that doesn’t love music.

The great thing about music is that it can be incorporated into just about every subject area and at every age. The following tips will provide some great ideas as to how teachers can incorporate music into the Montessori classroom. Simply choose options based on the age-range of your students.

1. Use Songs to Teach Concepts
   One of the best ways to incorporate music into all subject areas is to use songs to each various concepts. Regardless of the subject area, songs can always be incorporated.
2. Use Musical Objects to Count
   You can use musical objects to count numbers and syllables.
3. Set up a Musical Instrument Shelf or Listening Table
   Give students the opportunity to explore the variety of musical instruments out there by setting up a shelf specifically designated to musical instruments. Fill it with musical instruments like rainsticks or shakers. Another option is to set up a listening table for students to listen to music with headphones while they follow along with an accompanying book.
4. Allow Children to Listen to Classical Music During Work Periods
   Another easy way to incorporate music into the classroom is to simply put on classical music during work periods or at specifically defined periods. At the end of the work period, you can ask children questions about the music. For example, you could ask what their favourite sound was or how did it make them feel?
5. Music-Based Activities
   There are many music-based activities in which to involve your students. Depending on the age of your students, one option is to have students cover their eyes and then listen to the sound of an instrument being played. They would then have to guess what instrument was being played. You can also have students make their own musical instruments like rainsticks.

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