Did you know that learning to clap to a beat is extremely important?

Neither did I. 

For the longest time, I used to think that learning to clap was actually very childish and boring. 

But, do you know that many music examination bodies such as the Royal College of Music and Trinity College of Music include clapping as a skill that is tested at exams?

Clapping is tested by these examination bodies just like they test pitching, and sight reading, and other skills, because they obviously know clapping is equally as important as all other technical skills. 

It was after I realized the above, that I started including clapping in all homeschool music related activities. 

For one thing, clapping is something all parents (irrespective of musical knowledge) can help their kids with, and for another, as I’ve come to realize it is a very IMPORTANT skill to develop. 

So in today’s post, I will explain in detail why clapping is such an important skill, and why you should add it to your child’s homeschool music routine. 

Rhythm

As you know, the foundation of music is rhythm. And clapping in time requires your child to first listen to the rhythm carefully. 

Next, it forces your child to remember the rhythm, focus on the rhythm and repeat it, while staying on time. 

Now, can you see how it is one of the key foundations in the music learning process?

Not only does it teach rhythm but it also develops other key areas such as memorization and focus. 

Development Of Physical Aspects

As you know, playing most instruments like a piano or even a wind or brass instrument requires hand eye coordination (especially if sight reading is involved). 

Clapping helps to develop and fine tune hand eye coordination. 

Also have you realized that when playing an instrument, musicians may often play a wrong note, but we may not always catch it, but if they miss the rhythm, we catch it 100% of the time? 

Do you know why that is?

It is because our ears are able to catch a missed beat, rather than a missed note. 

So, if you think of sight reading accurately and playing in time, don’t you think, sticking to the rhythm is slightly more important than playing accurately (I say that loosely, because you should not discount the importance of playing accurately either)? 

Learning Patterns

Clapping will force your child to learn patterns in music. 

It will also help her recognize, appreciate and understand how each pattern differs from one another. And how each of them make a difference and contribute to the melody. 

Develops The Ear

This is an obvious one I hope.

Ear training is not only for recognizing pitch, but it is also for recognizing the rhythm. 

Simply playing the right notes without the correct rhythm is meaningless. 

So if your child is to be able to listen to a tune and repeat it, then she should be able to pitch it or play the correct notes and play the tune according to the correct rhythm. 

Now do you see how clapping also helps to develop your child’s musical ear?

Pre-Learning

As I have often stated, when introducing toddlers to music start with clapping or keeping the beat. 

By doing so they would have developed all of the skills that have been pointed out above, and that in turn will build a rock solid ability in them, to recognize the pulse of a tune and perform in time. 

So, even before your child starts formal music lessons, she’s already developed these important skills. 

This pre-learning can be done with teenagers, tweens, primary age kids and toddlers alike. 

So if you have any kids at home, who haven’t received formal music lessons, the best place to start is with clapping. And the biggest advantage is that you don’t even need to pay anyone. 

Just remember to start with very simple and easy tunes before you move on. 

Can you think of any other reasons why clapping is an important skill to develop?

What are the ages of your kids and what tunes will you start them off on?