Mish Mash philosophy!!
Over time, I came to develop a Mish Mash philosophy, based on what I’d learned from the books I’d read about early years music and development, but also, the experience I’d gathered from making music with little ones and about how children and babies learn:
Little ones need to be free to express themselves.
At Mish Mash there are always some instruments out on the carpet so that children are free to pick them up and experiment with them, whenever they want, even if most of the other children are using different instruments, or ‘dancing’.
Little ones need to be free to move around.
If it doesn’t feel right for the baby or toddler to stay on mum’s lap, how will forcing them make them love music, or become happier, or learn musical skills? I’ve found that a child learns when they are ready, so long as good activities are presented to them. The secret of a good music class is one where the children choose to be involved because they want to be.
Little ones need real live music, a variety of music and good music too.
The world is full of beautiful sounds. I want to support you in encouraging your children to explore and be inspired by the world, and there is a whole world of music out there. Children respond so much more to live music, because they get to see where the music is coming from,(a person,like them, not a CD player)…Live music Vs CD is like the difference between a TV dinner and a proper meal! (nothing wrong with TV dinners… but I prefer the meal…especially if I don’t have to cook!)
Nursery rhymes are part of our heritage, (although when you’ve done the wheels on the bus over twenty times it’s great to have some other fun and funky alternatives). Most children will be exposed to the very traditional songs at playgroups anyway, so Mish Mash allows them to expand their horizons and develop their musicality.
Little ones need to be involved.
Children find it hard to see why they shouldn’t be involved all the time and in Mish Mash, that’s fine by me. For babies and toddlers,listening needs to be an active process which involves shaking along, dancing, drumming, holding a puppet or parachute. These are meaningful are ways of bringing children into the music.
Little ones need to be free to communicate.
Sounds and movements are babies’ first ways of communicating with us. If they have something to say, or a noise to make, that’s great.
Parents need to enjoy what they do with their children.
Sharing fun experiences with your child is one of the best parts of parenting. That will happen when it’s fun for the both of you and you feel relaxed because the class is captivating your child (and you don’t have to).