Rebecca Anne Swartz and Kira Hamann

A playful, comprehensive early childhood curriculum should include music. Besides being important in its own right, making music and singing together are powerful ways to connect to others and share cultural knowledge and practices. Musical moments nurture creative expression and contribute to the well-being of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Music can also enrich children’ s development and learning in other domains and content areas( see“ Want to Learn More?” below).

Educators can use singing, chanting, and instrumental activities to support children across routines, transitions, and learning activities. Here, we offer six ways to integrate music into your setting. These suggestions grow out of our experiences as early childhood educators and teacher educators, as well as from the music that was shared with us over the years by our families, educators, mentors, and colleagues.

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28 Educating Young Children

Summer 2026