Personal note from Stormie:
I was taught that "Music" in a preschool classroom shouldn't be limited to just "singing songs," and that musical activities should be woven into the rest of the program.  Here are just a few of the ways we can incorporate music into our daily lesson plans: Singing, purposeful listening, as background music, rhythm patterning, playing preschooler rhythm instruments, creative dance, musical games, creative drama, with gross motor activities ...........and so on..........I'm sure I've left something out.

>>>> So please keep in mind that activities on my "Mini-Music Appreciation" pages are not meant to be comprehensive or all-inclusive.  By no means do I intend for these pages to represent a stand-alone preschool music program -- the themes are merely suggestions for exposing children to different types of music.  Musical activities are not limited to these pages, but are scattered throughout my website in conjunction with many other themes.  

Beginning-of-the Year Ideas:
1. Introductory Group Time Questions:
What part of our body do we use when we "listen" to music?
What part of our body can we use to make music? 
Name some places where we might go to hear music (movies, watch a parade, church, carnival, etc). 
Name some things that might have music coming from them (radio, TV, toys, etc).
2. Mini-Homework: After discussing the above, tell children that when they go home today, you want them to listen for music because you are going to ask them tomorrow about it.  Send a note home to parents so they can assist with this little assignment.  For example, they can purposely play music on the car radio while taking the children home.  They can put in a movie at home for their child to watch and "listen" for music.  Parents can "sing."  And of course, we can do some of these things in the classroom too and have the children "listen for music" while at school.
3. Familiar Comfort Sounds: Have children bring CD's from home of music their parents play around the house.  Throughout the month, play the CD's ("Today, we are going to play the CD Jenny brought us from her home.")  Especially in September, when everything about "school" may be new to the children, sounds from home can provide comfort.

How about borrowing an accordian to show the children for the letter A?

As it relates to the theme of "Feelings," play "happy" and "sad" music.

Ideas For September and/or Throughout the School Year:
1. Background Music: Play music during Free Choice Playtime while children are working in the various classroom learning centers.  For example, you could play rock music during September, classical music during October, country music during November, and so on.  The goal with this activity is to simply expose children to various types and sounds of music. 
Extensional Activity: At Grouptime one day, play the music the children have been listening to throughout the month, and then introduce one of the instruments heard in that music.  Then, see if they can recognize that instrument sound when they hear the music again.
2. Play background music while children do painting projects, or even at snacktime.

By the way, what's a preschool classroom without the albums, tapes, and/or CDs from preschooler superstar "Raffi?"  Other popular artists are Greg and Steve, Hap Palmer, Ella Jenkins, Wee Sing...........I'm sure more will come to me. 

I would like to note here that I include musical activities in the booklets that I offer in the "Stormie's Stuff for Teachers" section of my website.

Please share your ideas too by e-mailing me at: stormie@preschoolbystormie.com

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Reminder from Stormie: If you would like to begin collecting ALL my current classroom ideas (each on a 4 x 6" index card), as well as new ones that I create, you can do so by ordering my "Activity Cards."  Click here to check them out.