Music education

Wood Sprite’s musical education fits into our daily lives. We listen to music every day and often make our own instruments and play around on those that we purchase. (Our most recent is the didgeridoo; we are using gift wrap tubes and this tutorial to learn.) Ever since Wood Sprite was a baby, we’ve always made lots of noise together—whether it was with homemade shakers, drums from World Market or our own howling voices.

She’s also taken two years of Kindermusik, piano lessons and played music with friends. Right now she’s self-learning guitar, and she’s toying with the idea of taking lessons. If that’s what she wants, we will make it happen—but so far, she is not wanting formal instruction just yet.

Growing up, I knew much more music than my classmates, or at least, I seemed to. My parents listened to oldies, classic rock, country, modern music—pretty much everything except rap and alternative, although I grew my own liking to the latter from exposure through school. I remember singing songs my peers did not know; once on a field trip, the bus driver put the station on oldies and I knew every song. The kids were all, “How do you know all of these songs?” I thought it was crazy that they didn’t know them—not that I knew them! If I go a day or two without music, I can really feel it. I can get depressed, even, and I’ll think, oh, I need some music!

How does music fit into your homeschooling? Is it a relaxed type of education like ours, or do you do something more formal? What kinds of music do you and your families enjoy the most?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia