The document describes a music exploration activity with toddlers using percussion instruments like blocks, pot covers, and shaker eggs. It discusses how the children engaged with the instruments in various ways like clapping, pounding, shaking, and dancing. It also describes how the children developed skills through this activity such as fine motor control, gross motor coordination, following instructions, problem solving, and social skills like turn taking, imitation and leadership. The activity helped the children practice skills in language, physical, cognitive, social and emotional development.

1. EXPLORATIONS IN MUSIC
Toddler Room
November 2007

2. Initial experiences
The children have been interested in the building
blocks lately and have discovered when 2 blocks
are clapped together it makes a great sound!
We decided to introduce instruments that are
clapped together or struck with a mallet to make
sound.

3. We began the exploration as a group.
We talked about each instrument and
how it could be played. Each child was
offered an instrument. The whole group
played the instruments as we sat in a
circle. Then we stood and played the
instruments. Next we marched as we
played the instruments and sang
“Following the leader.”
The children developed several skills during this guided exploration. Socially and
cognitively, they are developing the ability to be patient while waiting for their turn.
They are developing the ability to follow directions when they are marching and
following the leader. Cognitively, they are developing an awareness of the different
types of instruments and the sounds they make. They are developing expressive
language when they explain how each instrument should be played. They developed
fine motor skills as they played each instrument. They developed gross motor skills as
they marched. Emotionally, they are further developing self-esteem as they play the
instruments in their own way to create a sound.

4. Eli, 32 months, claps the pot covers together as he says, “Clap,
clap, clap.” He then places the lids on the floor and lifts them up
and pounds them down on the floor. He then returns to his
original action of clapping the two covers together.
Eli is developing fine motor skills as he holds the lids and claps
them together and as he pounds them on the floor. He also
develops gross motor skills as he meets the two lids in the center
of his body. He further develops language skills as he verbally
labels his actions. Emotionally, he is developing self-esteem as
he successfully creates sound from this instrument. Cognitively,
he is learning about the different sounds the instrument makes
when it is struck on a different surface.

5. Tessa, 34 months, Aaron, 27 months, and Kyle, 34 months, watch
Courtney play the guiro tone block. She is striking the instrument
with the mallet. Tessa and Kyle imitate her movements. Aaron
continues to observe.
Kyle gets up onto his knees and turns away from the group. He
holds the guiro tone block with the opening at the top. He places
the mallet in the hole holding his hand under the mallet to keep it
from falling. Aaron holds the guiro tone block with the opening at
the bottom and he places it over the mallet.
Socially, Tessa and Kyle are further
developing their ability to imitate the
actions of another person. Cognitively,
Tessa, Kyle and Aaron are developing a
knowledge of the instruments
characteristics. Additionally, Kyle and
Aaron are further developing problem-solving
skills as they discover the other ways to use
the instruments. All three children are
developing fine motor skills as they explore
the instruments. Emotionally, they are
further developing self-esteem as they
explore and are able to create sound.

6. The group forms a circle around Courtney a s she experiments with a pot cover and a
wooden spoon. She points out the vibrations striking the cover creates and she invites the
children to feel the vibrations. She says, “Can you feel the vibration when I hit the cover
with the spoon?” Juliet, 30 months, gently places her hand on the cover to feel the
vibrations. She giggles when she feels it. Austin , 32 months, uses just his fingertips to
feel the vibrations. Juliet feels the vibrations again this time with just her finger tips.
Socially and emotionally, Austin and Juliet are developing patience as they wait for their
turn to feel the vibrations. Physically, they are developing fine motor skills when they use
their hand and fingers to feel the vibrations. Cognitively, they are learning about cause
and effect. They are further developing receptive language skills as they listen to
Courtney’s questions and descriptions.

7. The exploration of vibrations continues when Courtney shows
the group the effect of placing the vibrating cover onto
another cover on the floor. She tells the children, “The sound
reverberates on the other cover.” Juliet feels the vibration
again as Courtney places the vibrating cover on the other.
Courtney then moves the vibrating cover
around the other. She says, “Listen to
the ring of the vibrations. Now listen to
what happens when I put the cover on
top of the other.” She puts the vibrating
cover down on the other
cover. She says,
“Listen…The
vibrating stopped.
All of the children
are further
developing
lraencegputaigvee skills as Courtney talks with
them about the vibrations and the effects
of the vibrations. They are also expanding
their vocabulary as they talk about the
vibrations. Juliet is further developing
fine motor skills as feels the vibrations with her fingertips.
Socially and emotionally, they are developing the abilities to
be patient as they listen to Courtney and wait their turn.

8. Additional Explorations
In a further exploration we added shaker eggs and
maracas to the choices of instruments.
We started with teacher guided explorations and
then the children guided the explorations.
We played the instruments as we danced to “The
Freeze.”

9. In this video, we start by shaking the eggs.
Austin shakes the egg with his whole body.
Aaron shakes just his arm. After a few
seconds of shaking the eggs, Eli says, “I want
to march too.”
Kate replies, “You want to march?”
Eli responds, “Yeah!”
Kate says, “That’s a great idea. Get up,
follow Eli. Eli’s going to be the leader.”
Eli leads the children around the room
marching and shaking the eggs.
Eli is developing receptive and expressive language skills during his conversation with
Kate. Socially, he is developing the ability to lead the group while the other children are
learning to follow the directions of another person. Emotionally, Eli is enhancing his self-esteem
when his idea is appreciated and carried out. Physically, Austin is developing
gross and fine motor skills as he shakes the egg. All of the children are developing gross
motor skills as they march with Eli and fine motor skills as they shake the eggs.
Additionally, they are developing coordination as they march and shake at the same time.
Cognitively, they are developing a knowledge of the characteristics of the shaker eggs.

10. Here the children practice shaking
and stopping the eggs. They watch
and listen for Kate to say, “Shake.”
and then, “Stop.” They follow the
cues from her first shaking the eggs
and then stopping. Kate then
suggests they dance while they shake
the eggs to the song “The Freeze.”
The children agree that it would be a
good idea.
The children are developing fine motor skills as they shake and stop the eggs. They are
developing receptive language skills as they listen for the instructions. Cognitively and
socially, they are developing the ability to listen to instructions. Emotionally, they are
further developing their self-esteem when they are able to follow directions and help
make the decision of what to do next.

11. The children dance and shake the eggs and
maracas to “The Freeze” Some of the children
(Catherine, 28 months, Austin, Aaron and
Joey, 26 months) stop when the music stops
and start dancing again when the music starts.
Eli keeps dancing. Ella, 26 months, chooses
to sit and observe during the song.
Socially and cognitively, Catherine, Austin, Aaron and Joey are further developing the
ability to follow the of the song. Emotionally, all of the children are further developing
self-esteem as they dance (or choose not to dance) in their own way. Physically, they are
developing coordination as they dance and shake the eggs and maracas. Additionally,
they are developing gross motor skills as they dance and shake. They are further
developing receptive language skills as they listen to the song and move to the music.
Cognitively, they are developing the ability to control their body movements.

12. Conclusions
The children were very interested in the
percussion instruments. The explorations
continued throughout the day.
We have plans to introduce home made
instruments to the children in further
explorations.
The children practiced and developed skills in all
areas of development during this exploration.