Music Resources for Homeschool

Here is a sampling of our instrument collection

Planning for Music with my kids

My children have thoroughly enjoyed any music classes we have been able to be a part of.  However, realistically, we cannot often afford to pay for both children to be in a music class (at a common rate of around $200 for a couple months!).  What is a mother to do?  Create her own music class!  That is exactly what we did. 

Instruments for kids:

Last Christmas I got the idea of pulling together my own supply of musical instruments for the kids.  It was a well received Christmas present that we have used a lot!  I made sure to buy multiples of many different types of instruments, so we can even enjoy them together with some friends (or children I am babysitting) if we ever want to. 

I try to have regular "music class" with my kids at least once a week, where we play with all the different instruments.  I also keep my box of instruments out in our school corner, so the kids are free to play with them anytime they want.  They are not free to mix them in with any of their other toys in their rooms.  We have been able to keep track of all of them, and we have a very nice set!

These instruments were an investment, so it made a good excuse for a Christmas gift.  The kids enjoy them a lot!



Here is a sampling of our instrument collection

A Helpful Resource:

A couple months later, I decided to buy the book 101 Rhythm Instrument Activities for Young Children by Abigail Flesh Connors.  It is divided up into chapters for many different instruments.  There is a chapter each with activities specifically for: rhythm sticks, shakers, jingle bells, and sand blocks.  There is also a chapter that covers other instruments such as cymbals, tambourines, drums, and triangles.  The last chapter has a list of rhythm band activities.

This book has really been worth having.  I am not musically minded.  I don't automatically think of what to do with certain instruments.  I know with young ones you can also just wing it and sing whatever you want.  But, I enjoy having a book to get ideas from.  The book is filled with songs and rhymes that are meant for specific instruments.  It gives me all the words, as well as instructions on what to do with the instruments (how to shake them or move them, how to demonstrate rhythm, etc.). I also like that it is so easy to use.  I can flip through it spur of the moment, as I am sitting with the kids, and decide what songs or rhymes we are going to do depending on what instrument we have picked up.  I don't always use this book, but I do appreciate all the ideas in it.  It is very user friendly for a mom who is not necessarily a music teacher- and that is very helpful to me!


Fun Musical Books:

One of our favorite types of books are these musical books published by Barefoot Books.  Each one comes with a CD that sings the song of the story in the book.  My kids LOVE these!  We put in a CD and listen and sing along as the story is told in a song.  The songs are catchy and often involve movement as well.  I enjoy the songs along with my kids. 

These books are also a regular part of our music class time together.  Though, they can also choose to enjoy these anytime they want.  They are in the drawer where I also keep all our instruments.  I have been slowly adding to our collection.  This Christmas my kids are getting one new one.  I cannot recommend these books enough!

That is how my kids and I have created our own music time together each week.  It has been worth the cost and the effort to pull these materials together, and we can enjoy them all the time!