Supporting Children Starts with Supporting Parents.
Active Music-Making in Early Years to Develop School-Ready Skills: In Settings and Homes.
Parents are a child’s first teacher. Research shows that children who have more parental input, rich and varied experiences, vocabulary and activities at home in early years, are more likely to have strong school ready skills in place by age 4/5. Those who start without these skills in place will rarely catch up; the attainment gap will widen as they go through school.
You will be aware from recent press coverage that recent research finds that about half of the children starting school in the UK (Reception year) in 2022 were not developmentally ready (School Readiness 2022 survey by Kindred2 published January 2023).
School Ready skills include:
- Communication and language
- Phonological awareness
- Self-regulation
- Listening and attention
- Group skills, sharing and co-operation
- Gross and fine motor skills
- Spatial awareness
- Sequencing and pattern awareness
All of these skills can be boosted with an effective pre-school music provision in the setting and at home, with interactive music and movement activities based on neuroscience evidence, research studies and Boogie Mites’ vast experience.
You can view previous blog posts that review the evidence that supports this:
http://www.boogiemites.co.uk/boosting-school-ready-maths-and-literacy-foundations-with-music/
http://www.boogiemites.co.uk/neuroscience-series-fireworks/
http://www.boogiemites.co.uk/neuroscience-series-can-you-feel-the-beat/
http://www.boogiemites.co.uk/neuroscience-series-the-music-advantage/
How can early years settings best support the children lacking the parental input at home, for whatever reason, to develop these school ready skills they need when they start school?
Educate and equip parents with the knowledge, confidence and resources to harness the brain boosting power of music:
- Invite parents to take part in a parent education music workshop
- Share regular posts/communications about the benefits of music
- Share/signpost to music resources
Boogie Mites Parent Education Workshop
Boogie Mites have 20 years of experience delivering parent music education workshops. They work to promote a sense of community, to empower parents and build relationships between families and settings as well as encouraging home practice of music activities that will boost school ready skills.
Format and outcomes of a Parent Education workshop:
If possible, invite parents to arrive for 15 minutes of parent-only time before children join the group at the end of the pre-school session. Cover the introduction, benefits of music, encouraging parents to join in with their children during the session, and the objective of regular practise at home.
We have written a workshop plan for parents and children aged 3-4 years, that you can access via our customer hub. It also gives you a taster of songs from Boogie Mites School Ready Programme if you are not a currently a licensee setting.
Sign up to access the taster songs and parent workshop plan here: https://ex246.infusionsoft.app/app/form/school-ready-taster
We have also created a parent information sheet covering music and its links to the EYFS. Please print this off and give out at the sessions or share this link: https://bit.ly/parent-information-sheet-3 via email and social media.
Boogie Mites Parent Education Posts and Music Resources
Following an onsite workshop, share regular posts/messages to remind parents about the benefits of regular practise at home. Extend their music knowledge by sharing infograph images and ideas for home practice. Boogie Mites have created two package options to support settings with this.
- Parent resources sharing referral option:
If you are a licensee of one or more Boogie Mites core music programmes, you can contact [email protected] to get a 20% discount code for your parents to use when purchasing access to our parent music programmes via the links below. We will also supply you with social media images and links to share with parents.
- Parent resources sharing subscription package:
This may be via Boogie Mites digital platform or if you are using Famly software we have partnership arrangement with Famly for sharing resources and parent education posts via their platform for ease of use. Contact [email protected] to find out about this subscription package to provide song/video resources and parent education content to your families.
You can share the following paragraph with parents to sign post them to access Boogie Mites music programmes for home use:
BOOGIE MITES DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR HOME USE
Harnessing the brain boosting power of music
Practising music activities at home with your children will boost your child’s school ready skills, and it’s a great fun activity to share together.
The digital resources pack includes MP3’s of all songs on the programme, instructor videos, workshop videos, notes for home use and lyrics, or there is a physical CD/notes pack option.
Why not enjoy the magic of music at home with your children, to ensure they get the repetition, to maximise the potential benefits (and because it’s fun!)
School Ready Literacy Parent Pack
School Ready Maths Parent Pack
The bonus is: Boogie Mites songs are enjoyed as much by adults as by children and they provide a fun way to learn together, bond and create magical music memories.
We have written a blog for you to share with parents of pre-school children, coming up to transition to big school – Helping Your Child Develop School-Ready Skills Through Music: http://www.boogiemites.co.uk/helping-your-child-develop-school-ready-skills-through-music/
We also have a parent FB page for you to share: Boogie Mites Music Club.
And watch out for information about Boogie Mites App launch, coming soon.
Happy boogie-ing!
