Each quarter, Richland First Steps selects one school readiness goal from the South Carolina Early Learning Standards (SCELS) to spotlight and explore throughout our programs for children and families.
This quarter’s readiness goal spotlight focuses on the category of music. Participation in music and musical activities are not only fun and engaging for children but also support their creative expression and cognitive development.
This is what musical expression looks like!
Birth to 18 months
- Smiling or cooing to music: Smiling, cooing, or making sounds in response to music or rhythmic patterns.
- Repeating an action to make something happen again (make sounds when music stops, bounce up and down to get adult to continue “horsey ride”).
- Showing wonder or fascination with objects, activities, or experiences (gazing at an object, becoming quiet or vocal when they hear lullabies, showing bodily excitement when they hear music).
18 months – 36 months
- Run, jump, skip, hop, and throw balls with children, both indoors and outside. Encourage them to move their bodies indoors and outdoors with movement games, music, and dancing from different cultures (e.g., “Double Dutch,” “I’m a Little Tea Pot,” “Little Sally Walker,” “De Colores,” “All Fish Swimming in the Water”).
- Encourage children to notice patterns and rhythm in music and movement activities. For example, children can move or clap rhythmically to simple songs, such as “If you’re Happy and You Know It” or “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”
36 months+
- When he/ she starts to show awareness of different musical instruments, rhythms, and tonal patterns as they make music or participate in music activities.
- When he/ she starts expressing pleasure in different forms of art (express preferences, choose to look at book of photographs or listen to music again).
- Caregivers/ parents should provide opportunities and encourage children to take part in active physical play such as climbing, running, hopping, rhythmic movement, dance, and movement to music and games every day both indoors and outdoors.
