Christmas is just around the corner and, without doubt, many mums and dads will be looking for the perfect gift for their child. From Diapason the Wizard we offer some ideas so the presents are linked to music, which is so beneficial for them.
INSTRUMENTS
Depending on their age, some ideas will work better than others. If they are under 3 years old and you have not yet chosen an instrument for them to learn, here are three very fun, enriching and beneficial options for their ear training:
XylophonesXylophones are a great option because ‘playing’ with this instrument from an early age stimulates a sense of rhythm. The xylophone also requires agility and dexterity and is very intuitive. It is wonderful for developing hand–eye coordination and helps to improve concentration. It’s important to give them a routine that helps them to focus. It also lets them release energy and, finally, we can use the xylophone to reinforce colour recognition.
ClavesClaves are perhaps the simplest of percussion instruments, but they are vital for understanding rhythm. Little hands can pick them up easily, which is encouraging. We can accompany them with clapping or music. In Diapason the Wizard classes our children use them and love them. It’s an option that’s always a hit.
The tambourineAs soon as they can sit up and coordinate their little hands, the tambourine becomes a firm favourite. Like all percussion instruments, it is wonderful for developing their sense of rhythm. It is easy to play, lets them burn off energy and they can learn important musical concepts for their development. That said, be careful when buying tambourines made of plastic or of low quality: besides producing an unsuitable sound, they can break easily.
STORIES
There is a huge range of music-themed story books. Almost all of them are about musicians or important works in music history. Some of our favourites:
The ‘Mi Primer…’ collection is ideal for 1-year-olds. These are sound books that take a tour through the works of the most important composers in history: ‘Mi primer Mozart’, ‘Mi Primer Beethoven’, ‘Mi Primer Bach’, ‘Mi primer Vivaldi’… A delight for parents too!
The ‘Paco y la música’ collection is ideal for 2- and 3-year-olds. We particularly like ‘Paco y Mozart’, ‘Paco y Vivaldi’ and ‘Paco y la orquesta’. There are also books about rock, African music and disco… The protagonist is Paco, a dog who loves making and listening to music; the books include the melodies mentioned in the story, so as you read you can listen to the different instruments. They love them!
Finally, we recommend our Our Diapason the Wizard audiobook collection. Recommended for children from 1 year old. The collection includes five stories: ‘El staff Mi pequeña historia’, ‘The Staff donde está mi patito’, ‘La clef de Sol viaja a Japón’, ‘La clef de Sol Ron y Turrón’, ‘the F clef vamos a reciclar’. They are short stories with multi-activities where children can: read short tales and become familiar with the characters of the stave, the clef de Sol and the clef de Fa; listen to the story as audio while at the same time training their ear to the sounds La, Do, Mi and Sol with musical sequences in different timbres to gradually develop musical ear and absolute pitch; and colour the story. You can buy it in our online shop
EXPERIENCES
At Diapason the Wizard, as you know, we believe that without experience there is no learning. Children need to feel and live music in order to learn it. That’s why discovering everything music can offer them in a plan adapted to them seems essential.
The availability of concerts and theatre shows dedicated to music for the very young varies depending on where you live. For this reason, our recommendation is to look for an end-of-term concert by a music school, conservatoire or children’s orchestra. Seeing other children play an instrument and enjoying it will be very inspiring for our little musicians and for their parents.