In this article I will write about the importance of relaxation and music in an Early Childhood Education classroom.
My experience has helped me to be aware of the importance and benefit of a relaxed environment at certain times of the day:
The entrance to the classroom: It is very important that the entrance, especially for the youngest children, is relaxed and creates a peaceful atmosphere with quiet music and that both the educator and the child’s attachment figure are relaxed so that the transition from home to the nursery school is more bearable. On the other hand, it is also true that this moment of saying goodbye to family members should be quick so that, when there is this dissatisfaction in one of our little ones, it does not drag on and they can go back to their daily routine at school as soon as possible.
Another highlight is lunch. Transition time between our “educational activities” and going to the park. It is also a time when we are going to eat so we should always do it in a relaxed manner both inside and outside the classroom. Inside the classroom the ideal way would be with her collected and l@s niñ@s sitting on the carpet or in their respective chairs accompanied by a relaxing music or outside, for example in the pine forest, with the simple silence of the place and the soft and calm voice of the educator makes the children are calm and enjoying the moment before going to play and run in the park.
Finally, the time of the meal with all that it entails, i.e., the preparation for the meal, the act of eating and the subsequent nap. It is really important that all this is done as calmly as possible and accompanied by a quiet music that invites our little ones to relax because, sometimes, the time of the meal is not the favorite of some, so it is even more important if possible to be done from an atmosphere of peace.
As you can see music is present at all times as it is a key element in our day to day classroom, as it brings us great benefits and helps our children to be more aware and anticipate what is to come. If every day at certain times we play the same CD or use a certain song for different routines, the child becomes aware just by listening to the music of what is going to happen next, which gives him/her security. Just as it helps us to get to know them better and to understand certain reactions at certain times.
Lucía Sanchez Rivas
