Music kindergarten: educational concept

What pedagogical concept does your kindergarten follow?

In our music kindergarten, the focus of the pedagogical work is on dealing with music. Unlike in other kindergartens, the children here are surrounded by music throughout the day. The focus is on the playful discovery of sounds, tones and noises. Through regular contact with artists, they experience them up close. In addition, the little ones come into contact with instruments for the first time in the music kindergarten. However, you will not receive any singing or instrumental lessons in the traditional sense. Rather, the development of skills such as language, rhythm and motor skills is promoted.

What is the goal of the music kindergarten?

With the help of music in kindergarten, development is supported on various levels in the early, sensitive learning phase: For example, language development is supported by the many different songs and voice training stories. Dance trains motor coordination, experiences with sound and acoustics lead to initial contact with the natural sciences and making music together increases social skills. Added to this is the “perceived mathematics” through experiencing the basic beat, the bars and phrases.

What offers does a music kindergarten have?

The activities in the music kindergarten range from musical offerings such as dance and movement, painting to music or making instruments, to creative design, excursions, research and experimentation. What is special about the music kindergarten in Hamburg is the cooperation with the State Opera and the Hamburg Philharmonic. Once a week, instrumentalists or opera singers come to the kindergarten and play or sing something for the little ones. In this way, the children experience music from different epochs up close. On the other hand, the little ones also visit the State Opera, listen to the rehearsals and learn more about the individual orchestral instruments.

Do children learn how to use instruments in the music kindergarten?

In the music kindergarten, the little ones have access to instruments at all times. Therefore, they learn early on how to handle objects carefully so that the musical instruments do not break, for example. In addition, the children are taught how to put them away properly after playing and how to keep the music room tidy. In many facilities, the children can get a “music room driver’s license”. They receive it when they have proven that they handle the musical instruments correctly and keep order in the music room. With the driver’s license they then have the opportunity to make music alone in the room.

How is the concept implemented in everyday life?

The “semi-open” concept is followed in the music kindergarten in Hamburg. This means that the children spend the day both within their reference group and in open group life with the other children in the facility. Each educator offers a specific activity in the morning, such as baking, painting or singing. The children then decide individually which of these offers they would like to take advantage of in the morning. This means that every child can try out and develop at their own pace and according to their possibilities.

In the afternoon group, the children make music, play or dance together with all the children and teachers in the kindergarten. Sometimes voice training stories are also told: “There is a construction worker on the construction site who is hammering.” – the children then imitate the sound that is produced by working with the hammer. The voice of the little ones is thus trained in a playful way. The music for playing and singing together is chosen by the educators through observation: if the children like to play princesses and knights, the music and songs are adapted to the theme.