6 ‘Ultra Fun’ Ways To Introduce Pre-Schoolers To Music Appreciation Through The Study Of Planets

Have you always found that your little ones have a very short attention span? 

Well that is normal isn’t it?

But do you know that you can actually increase that attention span?

Of course there are various different ways in which to do that, but one that I have found really easy is to blend two totally different types of subjects? 

Let me explain. 

So let’s say for instance you want to introduce your little one to numbers. 

While teaching him to count can be a bit challenging, he will still do it if you have nice colourful objects. 

Yet, another way to keep the learning going even after your child has lost interest is to revisit the same concepts from different angles isn’t it?

I’m sure you’ve already done this in your homeschool montessori. 

Haven’t you started off with counting and then moved on to singing a counting song, or something like that? 

Well, that is what I’m talking about right now. 

In this post, I am going to show you how you can start off teaching your little one about the planets, but quickly connect the learning to music and then expand on both. 

As always I’ve created a printable and made it available to you, so please don’t forget to download it, once you are done reading this post. 

Listen

Gustav Holst wrote an eight piece orchestration of the Planets, so one great musical activity when teaching your little ones about the planets is to play the movements in their entirety in the background during homeschooling time. 

Of course, if it is too long (which I think it is), only play a few movements or the specific movement that correlates to the planet your little one is learning about. 

Draw And Colour 

At this stage, drawing and colouring is very important and kids love it a lot. 

If they are drawing, colouring or crafting a specific planet, then you can use the listening activity I suggested above. 

Alternatively you can use the colouring activities in the printable I have made available and combine it with the listening activity.

Favourite

When your little one has listened to the movements a few times, simply ask him which his favourite planet is, and which of the movements he likes the most? 

Why?

You can expand of the previous activity by just talking to him about why he likes a specific planet over other planets and why does he like one movement over the other. 

Prompt the musical discussion with questions like – how did the movement make you feel? Was it scary? Do you think Jupiter is a scary place? etc. 

Least Favourite

Now rinse and repeat both of the above activities but this time discuss the least favourite planet and movement. 

Remember, you don’t have to be sitting at home to have these discussions, you can be outside, looking up at the night sky, or in bed, or simply taking a walk down a trail. 

Start up these conversations randomly, it is much more fun and spontaneous for the little ones. 

Take An Online Course

Want a done for you structured program, that you can deliver to your little one in ‘bite sized’ pieces?

Then you will love my Solar System Symphony Online unit study, where I introduce kids ranging from 4 – 17 years to the lovely world of planets, the solar system, and other heavenly bodies and the music that was inspired by them. Check out the preview unit here. 

So what do you think? 

Can you hold your little one’s attention with these activities?