Preschool Music Entertainment vs Education- What's the Difference?

Live concerts, music activities at the library story time, fun songs in swim class, Mr. Joe with his guitar visiting preschool circle time, Ms. Rachel on YouTube, an instrument jam session at playgroup- music is ubiquitous in a kid’s world because children love it. And it is all good for them; music exposure and entertaining experiences get you up dancing, help develop an interest in instruments, and inspire a love of music.

Since young children learn through play, how can a parent tell if a program is educational or simply entertainment? From the outside, they often look the same. And is exposure to music entertainment enough to support a child’s development?

The answer is not as simple as the question. It does matter because while entertainment and education share characteristics, they have different benefits, and because you can’t do it all; you want to make careful choices with your limited time.

So, what is the difference?  If you dive more deeply into the approach and structure of the music offering, you can see how well it matches up with how children learn. The ten essential program components below are directly linked to how young children learn, and together they facilitate and maximize the brain-building benefits of music education during a child’s first 5 years.

Audio Recordings of the music from class. Recordings for use at home are an essential component of an educational music program, simply because without it, the learning outside of class and the participation level in class is limited to what you can remember.

It is important that you listen repeatedly to the recordings because once you master the music, you can more easily play with it and make it your own. Children typically want to listen again and again; they are wired to learn. But the parents have to like the music too, or they will not play it on repeat!

Music Together has an outstanding at-home music component, which includes professionally made recordings of original songs and arrangements of folk tunes that parents and children enjoy and will listen to over and over  The recordings also include tonal and rhythm patterns that reinforce the meter or tonality of the previous song. These are the building blocks of audiation- the ability to think in music.

The involvement of the adults in their life with whom they have close emotional bonds Research is very clear about how essential the model is of the adult caregiver for the child, regardless of their level of musical aptitude.  Children learn their disposition towards learning from their parent or caregiver, and if you instill a love of music early, the child will gravitate toward music experiences and gain skills naturally by simply making a lot of music.

In Music Together we consider the adults in the class the primary students because their influence is so powerful. We involve the parents deeply, not as bystanders, and encourage them to learn so they can recreate the activities at home. The songs and activities from classes become associated with the love, care, and playfulness of the people the child loves, which inspires learning.

A consistent class experience. It is important that attending class is a routine, ideally with the same class members so the participants become comfortable with one another and trust is developed. The effectiveness of the class experience is dependent upon the participation level of the adults, which takes time to develop because singing in public is not something most people do every day. The benefits of building and maintaining a participatory music-making community is why Music Together is not a drop-in (pay per class) program.

A music-listening environment. In the ideal music environment, the music experience is immersive, and children do not need to mask out non-musical sounds (for example, socializing or instructions). Music Together teachers are trained to always think of what the children are seeing, hearing, and feeling, and try to keep the class musical.  This can be an adjustment for parents who are used to other programs where the higher value is placed on facilitating relationships in the traditional way - social conversations, or teaching children to follow the parent’s directions.  In a Music Together class where the class has been able to maintain a music focus, parents gain an understanding that connections between families can be built through singing and moving together as a group, and you can hit the park after class!

Repetition. In performance-oriented music experiences, you wouldn’t repeat the same songs again and again, of course!  In Music Together classes we repeat songs from beginning to end several times in the class and over the course of the session. There is both repetition and development of each song. This practice supports brain development and the understanding of music structure, and builds memory and flexible thinking skills. And we adults benefit from repetition too!

Exposure to a diverse range of music. The music choices matter, and just like a healthy diet, you want a variety and lots of vitamins. Most children’s music is simple, in the key of C, and 4/4 meter. That is like eating a bologna sandwich every day.

Music Together songs are original and traditional, span a range of genres, styles, cultures, tonalities, and meters for a rich musical experience. It is important to listen to the same song collection that is used in class, and all of the songs- not just a few favorites because the collections are balanced with all the musical vitamins you need.

The opportunity to “practice” what they have heard, seen and felt in their play. Silence is important, it is space for processing. Children may sing to themselves in their crib at night when it is quiet, and riff on the musical ideas they have experienced.  Having quiet time and silence is essential; in a music performance- it is the rest, which is just as important as any note. In class, we plan silences to make space for audiation.

Support for "Serve and Return"- this means the parent musically interacting with the child, listening to them and responding to their lead, which is essential to healthy brain development.

Music Together teachers’ model “accept and include” in class. Our songbooks are a catalyst for interaction like this, so pull them out and sing through the songs and see where your child takes you. Programs that provide resources that encourage and remind families how to sing and play with the songs at home and model interactive play are more educational.

A Mixed Age, Family Style Class Setting

This model allows for individual differences without comparisons or age-related expectations, provides a variety of models, opportunities for leadership and social -emotional development and more. Plus, siblings can take class together and more easily recreate the music at home.

See my earlier blog article for more about the advantages of a mixed-age structure.

New Music to support cumulative learning and development over time. By continuing in classes session after session, with new music to inspire involvement, children’s learning will expand and deepen.

In Music Together families experience new music for three years and by the time they repeat a collection, it is all new for the child who is at a wholly different developmental level.  By learning hundreds of songs, maintaining a practice of regularly participating in community -based music making experiences, observing many models of various ages, stages and differences, and engaging in lots of listening over the years, a child’s musical skills will develop from cooing to singing full songs in tune. A child who has participated over the years will be able to sing the same song in different keys, and make up their own verses and songs, keep a beat in different tempos in their upper and lower body, and understand the nuances of music.

In summary, entertaining music experiences are great for kids, they enhance the child’s overall interest in music, remind the family of the importance of music in everyday life.  They can often motivate the listener to take a deeper dive into the world of music. Expose your child to music you love- no matter what it is. For more listening suggestions, check out some of my curated playlists for families and attend outdoor concerts where your child is free to play and roam while taking in new sounds and rhythms.

Entertainment is not a replacement, though, for the kind of cumulative music-learning children get in Music Together. For the maximum benefit, participate as regularly as possible in a music class that is research-based and immerse your child in a rich music learning environment throughout their early years, while their brain structures are being formed, family relationships are developing and values and interests are being built. Commit to being a music maker yourself and give your child the gift of a musical childhood!