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MUSIC: A MEANS OF INSTRUCTION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD 

EDUCATION 

 

Chinyere Celestina Esimone Ph.D.  

 

Abstract 

usic is a universal language well understood by all and sundry 

especially children; and it remains the best method in the 

teaching and learning of children from ages one to five 

years. Children are always interested in singing and dancing 

even from the time they are born. Singing songs to them makes them 

happy, even when they are hungry and crying, singing always calms 

them down and helps them be patient while waiting for the food. This 

same way that music calms children, it also helps them learn. 

Teachers can easily teach children subjects for their age with music 

rather than the remote method of teaching and learning. This, many 

people especially teachers are very ignorant of. This paper x-rays and 

proves that music is a good means of instruction in early childhood 

learning.  

 

Introduction 

Music is one subject that is universal and understandable to all 

humans, young and old, males and females‟ even animals; as it is said 

„birds sings‟. Music‟s universality and easy understanding makes it very 

appealing to all and sundry, especially to children, which prove music‟s 

definition as a universal language worthwhile. Music is the most 

beautiful means of communication because everyone understands the 

language. This ability makes it very attractive and easy to be used as 

a means of instruction to children in early childhood. Perry & Perry in 

Levinowitz (1998) suggest that it is desirable for children to be 

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Awka Journal of Research in Music and the Arts (AJRMA) Vol. 14 2020 



 
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exposed to, trained in and enculturated with music for its own sake. 

Levinowitz (1998) opined that making music is as much a basic life 

skill as walking and talking; and that music is a way of knowing (p. 1). 

And Gardner (1983) believed that music intelligence is equal to 

linguistic intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily – kinesthetic 

intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence. 

These facts goes to show that music can be of great help in early 

childhood education, when applied as a means of instruction; as it has 

the ability to grant children interest in learning, and easy 

understanding of what is being taught; unfortunately, many childhood 

instructors do not understand this and hence do not employ it as a 

means of instruction, leading to difficulty in their teaching and 

learning activities. This paper addresses this problem. 

 

 Music 

The subject, „Music‟ has many definitions from different scholars. 

Blacking (1973) defined it as humanly organized sound (p. 57). Elliot 

(1995) says “it is a diverse human practice of constructing aural 

temporal patterns for primary values of enjoyment, self-growth and 

self-knowledge (p. 128). And Walker (1998) believed “it is a living 

analogue of human knowing, feeling, sensitivity, emotions, intellectual 

modus operandi and all other life-giving forces which affect human 

behavior and knowing” (p. 57). The subject of music transcends 

singing and dancing. It goes beyond organized sound to a therapeutic 

means of helping the sick, developing the brain and calming the 

nerves. It is meant to relax, motivate and inspire life and emotions to 

keep man in path it requires to go. Music actually is very powerful. 

Everyone understands the language of music and children do most. 

“Music is a natural and important part of young children‟s growth and 

development. Anyone who has worked with young children knows they 

love and appreciate music and can engage in musical activities at all 

levels” (Esimone 2012:1). 

 



 
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Early Childhood Education 

Early childhood education is an education given to children from 

infancy to five (5) years of age, usually in an educational institution. 

It is the most crucial time in the life of a child. Whatever happens to 

children at this age is of greatest importance to their general 

development. The Federal Republic of Nigeria in her policy on 

Education (2004) defined early childhood education as “an education 

given in an educational institution to children prior to their entering 

the primary school, usually one (1) to five (5) years of age; It includes 

the crèche, the nursery and the kindergarten (pre-primary schools)” 

(p.10). Early childhood on the other hand, could be defined as the age 

before schooling or entry into primary school, usually from infancy to 

5years. A child‟s needs at this period differ from those of older 

school children because early childhood sees the greatest growth and 

development. Levinowitz (1998) asserts: 

It is a time when children learn about their world 
primarily through the magical process of play. The 
substance of play in very young children is usually 
comprised of the environmental objects and 
experiences to which they have been exposed. If the 
music environment is sufficiently rich, there will be a 
continuous and ever richer spiral of exposure to new 
musical elements followed by the child‟s playful 
experimentation with these elements.  

 

Early childhood is an important time in the life of every child. It is 

obvious that children of this age tend to learn through mimicking and 

of course through what they see the adults do. They find boring the 

remote method of learning, and they like it when their environment is 

smart, busy and playful especially when it involves music (singing and 

dancing). This is why when music is used as a means of instruction in 

their learning activities, the results are rewarding, because the 

children find it easy and stress less to grasp what is being taught, 



 
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and the teachers find their teaching easy and simple. To this Esimone 

(2012) succinctly said: 

Few things in life inspire more joy and excitement than 
the miracle of a newborn baby. Whether that child 
fulfills his or her vast potential is largely in the hands 
of the family, the community and the country into 
which he or she is born. The early years of life are very 
crucial. Hence when children are nurtured and cared 
for as should be in their earliest years especially with 
music; they are more likely to grow in a healthy way, 
develop full thinking capability, language, emotional and 
social skills that are very useful for their total well-
being (p. 1).  

 

Music as Instruction Tool 

Music as earlier noted is the easiest and the simplest means of 

instructing children in early childhood. Paget (2006) reported that 

“music can do 60% of the teaching work in about 5%of the time (p. 5).        

This is a fact. When early childhood children are engaged with singing 

and dancing of what they are being taught, it is very obvious they 

grasp what they are taught than when the remote style of teaching is 

employed.   

 

Idolor (2002) observed that “children are taught the norms and 

values of the society through music, to foster self-usefulness and 

facilitate the performance of expected roles in the wider society. 

And children‟s music repertoire teaches varieties of norms, values 

and skills” (p. 6). Okafor (2005) in supporting Idolor noted: 

Music is central to many of the activities of life in our 
traditional society and because music is integral with 
life activities. The music that was learnt at childhood is 
important as a foundation for learning other things to 
come – art, craft, science, human relations and social 



 
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practices. It was a system that worked and worked 
very well. It was a system that laid a foundation of life 
to come. It was a system that was wholly utilitarian - 
everything it contained was useful to life in the society 
in which the child must move, live and have his being. 
People of all times have recognized the importance of 
music in education (p. 225). 

 

Okafor (2005) further noted that Western educators taught 

children many things through songs. Primary health education was 

taught and how things were supposed to be done was taught through 

songs. Examples of such songs are:  

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy and wealthy and 
wise. 
 

The old Mulberry bush song: This is the way we brush our teeth, 
brush our teeth, brush our teeth, this is the way we brush our teeth, 
early in the morning. This is the way we comb our hair, comb our hair, 
comb our hair, this is the way we comb our hair, early in the morning 

and so on. 

 

Children were taught the simplest of prayers before eating through 

songs. Some have food and cannot eat, some have no food and can‟t 
eat, we have food and we can eat, glory be to God on high… (p.226). 

 

Parts of the body were also taught children using songs thus: Head, 
shoulder knees and toes, and ears and eyes, and mouth and nose, head 
shoulder knees and toes 
 

Okafor (2005) further observed that there were mnemonics for 

remembering things and the one for remembering the days of the 

year goes thus: 



 
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Thirty days hath September, April, June and November; February 
has twenty-eight and all the rest has thirty-one. And the months of 

the year were taught thus: January, February, March, April May June 
July, August September, October, November December. 
 

To count the mathematical numbers of one to ten; they were taught 

using images that can easily be identified thus: One two, buckle my 
shoe, three four, knock on the door, five six, pick up the sticks, seven 
eight, lay them straight. Nine ten a big fat hen.  
 

Children learn better through songs than the traditional method as 

can be seen from the examples above. This is because music comes 

natural to children and it is a more fun way to learn. Children love 

music and find it more entertaining and relaxing. As Okafor (2005) 

observed that children learning through songs or music makes 

learning very attractive to them, because they learn easily (p. 224).  

Everything can be taught through music (songs), from norms and 

values of the society, to simple daily hygiene at home and in school, to 

the letters of the English alphabets and even to the numerals of 

Mathematics. Everything is possible through the instrument of songs 

(music). Thus Okafor (2005) noted: 

The folktale was full of songs which were very 
attractive to children because through the vehicle of 
the songs, they learnt easily without mental stress. 
They learnt through mnemonics and through simple 
game-songs, complicated subjects, numerology or 
numeracy, even to articulate words and use their 
language beautifully. All these were very simply taught 
to children through music (p. 224). 

 

 Ekpo (2008) also observed: 

Children are inclined to be more interested in music, 
and possesses more positive attitude towards an 



 
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appreciation for music; when they are brought up in 
homes in which there is regular singing, in which various 
types and qualities of music are heard, performed, 
discussed and enjoyed and most importantly, in which 
they are guided and encouraged to respond or 
participate (p. 28). 

 

Music no doubt has a natural inherent attraction which makes it 

attractive to all humans. Virtually every personality in the world, 

young and old, consciously or unconsciously responds to music 

positively. Music has provided people with opportunities for self-

expression and rich rewarding enjoyment, especially children. It is a 

well-known fact that children naturally love music and are attracted 

to it, whether they are crying or laughing , eating or hungry, a mere 

musical sound pulls them out from their hidden areas; hence the 

importance of using music in their teaching and learning activities.  

 

Teacher’s Role in Using Music as an Alternative Method to 

Teaching 

The importance of manpower in any important venture in life can 

never be over emphasized. The ages one (1) to five (5) years have 

been identified as a very critical period. Anuka (1998) believed “this 

age is very crucial in the learning process of the child and therefore 

demands children be provided with an enriched and scientifically 

sound early experiences” (p. 135). If scientifically sound experience 

must be provided, then the agent for this provision must be qualified 

and trained. Teachers in early childhood education need be 

professionally qualified and scientifically sound to teach early 

childhood children. They should be musically sound as well to be able 

to use music in their teaching and learning activities. Although it is 

not compulsory for early childhood teachers to have the knowledge of 

music with regards to acquiring a certificate in music, if they do, that 

is really good; but it is very necessary for such teachers to know how 



 
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to sing and dance, and have the ability to turn their lessons into 

songs. 

 

Learning Environment 

Children learn through interaction with their environment, as the 

teacher is a better facilitator than a dispenser of knowledge. 

Children no doubt may acquire knowledge through instructions from 

the teacher but learning makes more meaning through personal 

discoveries. To this Igboabuchi (1998) opined: 

The whole environment of the child should be educative 
and so serve as a resource for learning. Within the 
classroom and even at the playground, there will be 
sufficient things to generate curiosity which leads to 
learning. Environment plays a more important role than 
heredity in a child‟s education (p. 49). 

 

A good learning environment for early childhood education should 

have enough instructional materials such as picture books of 

different things, numerical posters, alphabetic posters and flash 

cards for their age, which serve as teaching aids. Such posters are 

spread about on the wall of the classroom where these children can 

see them every day they are in school. Provided for should also 

include some Western musical instruments such as toy pianos, toy 

guitars, trumpets, recorders (flute) and drums; and also indigenous 

musical instruments such as the ichaka (rattles), obere ogene (twin 

metal bells), ekwe (small slit drum) and so on, specifically for their 

age. As the children consistently see the pictures, and manipulate the 

musical instruments, what they are seeing are appealing to the variety 

of their senses as well as increasing their motor skills; these coupled 

with explanations from their teachers through songs are improving 

the effectiveness of teaching and the quality of learning. Onyejemezi 

(1998) in supporting the above noted: 



 
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Whether instructional materials are real or 
representations, their main purpose is to improve the 
effectiveness of teaching and the quality of learning. 
Specifically, they are used to appeal to a variety of 
senses, stimulate the learner into engaging in other 
related useful activities such as further observations, 
modeling, reading, writing and drawing; promote 
acquisition and longer retention and provide 
opportunities for independent and individual learning (p. 
163). 

The learning environment should also be spacious for running around 

of the children; since such motivates their desire for school and 

makes them have a healthy life. To this Igboabuchi (1998) asserts 

that: 

Physical training and games are very important to 
ensure healthy function of the body and mind. It also 
makes for balanced formation, moral and character 
training. They should increase in complexity as the child 
advances in years. The school environment should be 
well stuffed with a variety of games equipment (p. 49). 

 

Eze (1998) also opined that “plays, indoors or outdoors are natural 

and basic to health and the development of motor skills that order 

children‟s body movement – running, jumping, climbing, bending, 

throwing, turning, twisting, and with play equipment like swings and 

slides, musical toys and other types of toys that can help them be 

creative and explorative”. These play equipment makes the 

environment for learning very attractive and interesting for the early 

childhood children, thus, increasing and motivating their desire for 

learning. It also helps them to associate with one another and 

appreciate one another as it helps them to initiate friendship with 

one another. 

 



 
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Moreover, when the outside environment is made available, it is also 

important to make the inside environment more attractive and 

desirable for learning. This could be done by making sure that the 

classrooms are spacious enough, has enough comfortable seats and 

tables, and well ventilating windows to allow for fresh air. All these 

make for comfortable and excellent conducive learning environment. 

 

Benefits of Music to the Child 

Every full-fledged man or woman today was once a little child, and 

hence had to go through a lot of experiences and influences to be 

where they were and who they were today. Whether they were 

privileged to have a music family or not, they all had the opportunity 

to hear music being made; and hence could say a lot of things they 

learnt as a result, which to a greater extent had helped shape their 

lives as adults. To this Perry and Peery in Levinowitz (1998) says: 

Music making is a basic life skill as it is with walking or 
talking. It has so much to do with man‟s emotions, 
moods, feelings, attitude and opinions. It is desirable 
for children to be exposed to, trained and enculturated 
with music for its own sake. In other words, it is a 
birthright for all people irrespective of age, to be able 
to sing in tune and march to a beat (p.35). 

 

Music is a means of voice development. Consistent singing on one‟s own 

develops the vocal cord and makes the voice finer to picking higher 

pitches. When this is introduced in the early childhood learning, the 

result in the later years of life is very enormous hence, using the 

singing voice is a learned complex skill. Also, learning to sing is a great 

skill for children to imbibe. It is a way in which they are able to 

express themselves. It helps them ease any stress in their lives and 

gives them a boost of confidence about their own ability. Besides, 

early childhood children are naturally curious about their world and 

like to experiment anything and everything; even the most archaic 



 
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activities they enjoy can make them very lively, hence singing in any 

activity is fun to them. To this Brendan Dunne (internet source) 

noted:  

Not only does singing leave a deep trace in the memory 
but it also allows the children to be actively involved in 
their learning. Also, singing as an activity can address 
the whole child and not just the language learner, as 
songs often draw on their common experiences outside 
the language classroom. There are songs for almost 
every theme or occasion, not only can we practice 
common language topics such as numbers, colours, 
animals, food, actions etcetera; but we can also explore 
a range of emotions (such as excitement, joy, fear, 
anger and so on) and situations that are part of the 
child‟s everyday life. Songs linked to calendar events 
such as festivals may also give the children insights into 
their own and other world cultures. Music therefore 
affects the general development of early childhood 
children (http://www.xtec.cat/cirel). 

 

Intellectually, music (singing) expands the memory of children and 

assists in the development of their language ability. Also, the effect 

of music on the brain and thinking are demonstrable and research has 

shown that during an electroencephalogram (EEG), music can change 

brain waves and make the brain more receptive to learning. Music 

connects the functions of the right and left hemispheres of the brain 

so that they work together and makes learning quick and easy. Brain 

function is increased when listening to music and studies have shown 

that music promotes more complex thinking. It can make connections 

between emotions, thinking and learning (Davies 2000). 

 

Music has also been proven to help in the development of 

mathematical skills in children. Maxim (1989) noted: “singing games 

http://www.xtec.cat/cirel


 
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such as counting rope jumps could help a small child to understand 

how to count” (p.289). Music is also essential in the acquisition of 

reading and writing in early childhood education. It is another outlet 

to stimulate the mind, for that‟s the only better way to gain 

knowledge and confidence in oral language and writing. Oral language 

is an interactive and social process, and music is a natural way for 

children to experience rich language in a pleasurable way. Children 

have a lot of energy, and learning movements and dances to songs 

always help to release some of them. The use of music for reading 

instruction allows children to easily recall vocabularies, facts, 

numbers, colours and shapes as the case might be. 

 

Emotionally music provides stability for children. It is a fact that 

children introduced to music early in life has been found to be happy 

children later in life. It is really amazing seeing babies to toddlers 

who by mere listening to music (songs) makes them stop crying if they 

are crying, makes them happy if they are sad and makes them 

obedient if they are stubborn. This benefit made Plato as quoted by 

Abeles, Hoffer and Klotman (1984) to say: 

Music is one of the most inspirational form of arts; 
their power is contained in its ability to by-pass reason 
and penetrates into the soul and the subconscious, 
manipulating ones feelings. It is a potent instrument 
than any other because rhythm and harmony find their 
way into the inward places of the soul of which they 
mightily fasten; imparting grace and making the soul of 
him that is rightly educated graceful (p. 4). 

 

Music indeed is very potent and simple to be used in learning 

especially with children, because it has to do with their emotions. A 

child will always want to start dancing at any melody he or she hears, 

even when the child is crying, a melody makes the child stop crying 

and start dancing because the song touches the child‟s emotion. Thus, 



 
36 

to develop emotionally and socially, children need to feel worthy and 

confident; therefore the freedom to experiment and to respond in 

creative ways to music can produce these feelings. Songs properly 

sang can provide opportunity for children to learn appropriate ways of 

relating to others. It can provide ways of doing things with little or 

no fear of threat. And the easiest to gain self-expression and self-

confidence is through music. 

 

Summarily, music is a great tool in the instruction of early childhood 

children. Obviously from all the above facts, this book chapter has 

provided greater insights on the importance of using music (songs) in 

the teaching and learning activities of early childhood education. It 

has also revealed the ways through which this can be carried out. It 

is assured that when facts in this chapter are applied, rewarding 

results as explained will be recorded. 

 

                                                                  

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Igboabuchi & Denco, Pre-primary education in Nigeria: 
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Blacking, I. (1973). How musical is man? London: Faber & Faber. 

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Davies, N. L. (2000). Learning…The best goes on. Journal of Research 
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Ekpo, I. S. (2008). Parental factor in early musical exposure as a 

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37 

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