Do you think that your primary schoolers are too young to embark on composer studies’ work in the homeschool? 

Well, I do understand your apprehension, but I’m also here to tell you that you don’t have to worry. 

With the right activities, you can have them loving composer studies, and then in turn use composer studies to get them into music appreciation. 

I know, your biggest question now, is what are those activities and how do you teach your kids when you don’t know the first thing about it?

Well, in this post I’m going to explain seven different activities you can do with your 6 – 9 year olds and I am even going to give you access to tools like worksheets and online courses and much more. 

Excited?

Ok, let’s get started. 

Composer Stories

You can get the kids started by helping them select some composers that they would like to research. 

Next, help them find facts about the composer. 

Your local library will be a good source for books and google is always the the ‘go to’ choice, but I prefer the old fashioned route with books. 

So if you are like me and would like some recommendations on books for this activity, then please read my post, Composer Biographies For All Ages. 

Notebooking Pages

There are tons of free and paid composer study related note booking pages for the 3 – 5 year cohort that you can find online. 

One great source is Teachers Pay Teachers. 

However, if you don’t have time to spend hours looking for printables that your kids would love, don’t worry, I have you covered. 

Just download the printables I have made available with this post, and you are good to go. 

Online Courses

Yes, online composer study courses are another fun way to get your primary schoolers into music. 

Think they are really expensive, well they can be. But don’t worry, I have got you covered there as well. 

Just click on this link and let me give you a free preview of the composer studies unit just for your little one. 

Listening Activities

Now that they have done the research and have learned about the composer, it is time to ask them to create a playlist of compositions by the musician and listen to the music in the background during homeschool hours. 

This will help your kids to internalize the melodies and become familiar with the composers style. 

You can expand this activity further by following through to the next activity I have suggested. 

Music Analysis

Tell your kids to choose two compositions from the playlist and to analyze the two by comparing and contrasting them for the instruments used, the mood, the tempo, pitch, volume etc. 

Want more ideas on how to help your primary schoolers analyse music? Then read my post, 3 ‘Must Teach’ Music Analysis Activities For Primary Students. 

Hands On Activities

Once your kids have read books and done the necessary research on the life and works of the composer (facts about composers like the birth country, year of birth, famous composition, age the composer lived in etc), you can move on to more hands on activities. 

For starters you can help them create a lap book or a scrap book with pictures from the composers country, the instruments the composer played, pictures of the composer etc. 

What do you think?

Field Activities

Finally, how about some field activities? 

Take your kids to an instrument store where he can touch and feel an instrument that the composer played.

How about going to a music show that features compositions of the composer? 

Other activities would be going to the museum to experience what life would have been like during the age in which the composer lived. 

Going to a local cultural centre to learn more about life in the composers country etc. 

What other field activities can you think of. 

Now over to you.

Let me know what other activities you can add over and above the ones I have suggested here. 

Do you think music analysis is only for advanced students of music? 

No, actually it isn’t. 

If you’ve been told that only kids learning music at a really high level need to and can analyse music, then you have been buying into a false myth. 

Kids of any age can learn to analyse music and actually it is one of the best ways to get them interested in music. 

In this post, I am going to give you a detailed explanation of how you can teach your primary school aged kids to analyse music in the comfort of your home. 

And no, you don’t need any prior knowledge nor formal training in music, because I am going to give you all the steps and all the tools you need and it is going to be as easy as one, two, three. 

As always, I have also made a printable available with this post, so don’t forget to download it once you are done reading the post. 

Ok, so without further ado, let’s get started. 

Listen To Dynamics

Now, don’t get worried when you see the word ‘terminology’. 

I’m going to teach you three simple music terms for you to introduce to your homeschoolers and you will see how those three terms can open up a world of musical learning in no time. 

So what are these three magical words?

Ready to hear them?

Ok, here goes. 

Volume – Is the music loud or soft?

Pitch – Is the music high or low?

Pace – Is the music fast or slow?

That’s it? 

What do you think? 

Now, let’s move to the next step.

After you have introduced the musical terms to your children, it is now time to listen to a piece of music and ask her about the dynamics. 

Is the piece loud or soft? Are the notes high or low? Is it fast paced or slow paced? 

Of course, you might have to guide her through the first song or two, but you will see that she understands pretty quickly and is able to accurately analyse each piece. 

Reflect

Like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is the same with music as well. 

So now it is time to reflect on the compositions. 

Ask simple questions like

Do you like the song?

How does the song make you feel?

Why don’t you like the song?

Why do you think the song is scary? etc, will help her to reflect on each song. 

Instruments

Once she has accurately reflected on the song, you can go a step further and ask her to try to recognize the different instruments in the song. 

Identifying instruments like drums will be easier than figuring out if a cornet or a trumpet is being played. 

Watching music videos and getting accustomed to the sound of instruments will also help in this stage. 

Besides, trying to identify the instruments alone it will also be good for your child to reflect on how the instruments contribute to the overall tone of the piece and the emotions it elicits. 

Compare And Contrast

Once she has listened and analysed a few pieces of music, it is time to compare and contrast two pieces in terms of the dynamics (volume, pitch and pace), the moods, the instruments used and how the instruments in each melody change the mood etc. 

What do you think? Will you primary school aged homeschooler be unto this? 

Comment below and let me know how it went.