1. Read A Story with Classical Music as its Soundtrack
When you read a story to your child, pick out a classical music piece that matches the emotion and actions of the book. Picking out the music should be pretty simple, but just for reference, playing Verdi’s “Dies Irae” to a story about a happy boy playing catch with his dad isn’t a very good idea. Practice reading the story out loud with the classical music to get a rough idea of the timing. After getting used reading in time with the music, tell your child you have a special surprise for them. Read them the story the “new” way, and they will surely be delighted!
Tip: Remember to always play the same piece of classical music for each story; that way it becomes imbedded in your child’s sense memory.
For example, if you read Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could to Haydn’s Symphony No. 94, always play Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 when you read the story again. When they grow up, every time they hear that song they will automatically remember the good times they shared with you when you read to them.
2. Interpretive Dancing to Classical Music
If your kids are always on the move, try introducing them to classical music by interpretive dancing. This can be great for getting your child to focus on the music. Instruct your child to listen to the music and dance however the music makes him/her feel. Parents dance with them! Not only is it fun, but it’s physically and emotionally stimulating. This exercise sends the message to the child that classical music can be fun, and not boring to listen to.
Tip: Mix up the music. Try to pick out contrasting pieces of music and see how your children react. Make sure you tell your children what the piece is and who wrote it. You never know what things your children will remember down the road.
3. Classical Music During Playtime
Before your kids begin playtime, make a list of classical music pieces with the names of the composers. Have your children pick a song before playtime. Tell them a little fact about the composer they picked to listen to during playtime. Before long, your children will develop their own classical music preference and have a basic knowledge of the composers.
Tip: Make sure to get a broad range of music to listen to - several pieces from each period should suffice. (Unsure of what the periods are? Read Intro to Classical Music for the answers!)
4. Classical Music and Art
Similar to interpretive dancing, pick out several contrasting classical music pieces to listen to while you and your children paint, draw or color. Make sure your children understand to listen to the music and create their picture to however the music makes them feel. Once everyone is finished, listen to the music again and explain your creations. Don’t forget to let your children know the name of the piece and the composer.
Tip: This can be as messy as you want it to be; with most kids, the messier the better. Let your children know it’s okay to “give in” to the music and react to it. Classical music doesn’t just happen on the surface, it happens deep within your soul (if you let it).
5. Listening Games
When I was studying Music History in college, my teacher would give us listening quizzes.
He would give us a list of several pieces of music to listen to and study one class period prior to the quiz. During the quiz he would pick a song at any random point in the piece, and we would have to be able to tell him who the composer was, the title of the piece and the tempo marking. If you play this listening game with your children it doesn’t have to be as complex. Pick out three pieces of music to play during the week and tell your children the name of the song and its composer every time you play it. At the end of the week have a game to see who can remember the name of the piece and the composer when you play it.
Tip: This not only promotes music appreciation, but also memory. Games are always a fun way to introduce learning concepts.
By Aaron Green
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