By Rob Joy
Having a live musician in a daycare is about so much more than just singing songs and shaking maracas for 45 minutes – although, let’s be honest, toddlers do take maracas very seriously!
Live music gives children a chance to experience music in a real, interactive way. They aren’t just pressing play on a screen, they’re connecting with a real person, hearing real instruments, and joining in through movement, laughter, dancing, and the occasional dramatic tambourine solo. Music helps support language, social skills, confidence, coordination, and emotional expression, all while feeling like pure fun to the children.
In my program, I focus on creating a playful and welcoming environment where children can participate freely, be silly, and feel successful. Humour is a huge part of what I do because children learn best when they’re engaged and having fun. One minute we might be marching like dinosaurs, and the next we’re singing quietly to calm our bodies down after someone got a little too excited about the shaker eggs. Live music also gives children opportunities to practice listening, taking turns, following directions, and expressing themselves creatively, all without it feeling like “work.” For many children, music becomes one of the highlights of their week, and for me, that connection and joy is the most important part of the program.