Introduction

During January–March 2026, our group undertook a ten-hour placement at Burley and Woodhead Primary School, working with reception-age children (4–5 years old). The project involved both whole-class workshops (referred to as the “Main Group”) and smaller targeted intervention groups consisting of children who required additional support with confidence. The project was structured around the book Hello Spring, using music and movement to express feelings while developing confidence and empathy. Sessions were delivered weekly, with durations ranging from 30 minutes to one hour depending on the school timetable, concluding with a final showcase presented to school teachers and Year 6 students.

My role within the project focused on introducing foundational musical elements, including crotchet pulse activities and movement-based musical games. With collaboration of my two partners, we contributed to both the development and delivery of workshop sessions while adapting activities responsively according to participant engagement and classroom needs.

This critical evaluation reflects on the planning, facilitation process, participant engagement, and outcomes of the workshops.

Evaluation of Planning

The approach of this placement was to use music and movement to explore emotions while promoting physical development and supporting children’s social and communication skills. The workshops aimed to foster empathy, creativity, and self-confidence by encouraging children to express themselves through movement, musical activities, and soundscapes (Detailed planning in Appendix C & F). Although a detailed scheme of work was prepared in advance, the planning process remained flexible throughout the placement in response to environmental, logistical, and participant-related factors.

Teaching Area

The teaching area became one of the main concerns after the workshops began. We initially intended to divide the class into three smaller groups to explore soundscaping based on the locations in the storybook map with multiple groups played instruments simultaneously, including drums and tambourines. Unfortunately, the school was only able to provide one teaching area. This approach became impractical due to classroom space limitations, making communication between students and facilitators difficult. Subsequent sessions were redesigned using a whole-class format rather than small-group activities. This adaptation improved classroom management and allowed instructions to be communicated more clearly.

The classroom environment also differed from our initial expectations, requiring further modifications to planned activities. For example, the “Egg & Nest” rhythm game (idea from Katie Traxler, 2019) had originally been designed for children seated in a circle alongside facilitators, allowing all participants to observe clearly. However, children remained in designated seats arranged in rows with limited movement space. This created visibility issues for children seated further away. As a result, the activity was adapted by replacing the props with large A4 visual rhythm cards displaying crotchets and quavers (Refer to Week 4 Video). This adjustment simplified the activity and improved accessibility for the whole class.

Time Management

Time management was also an ongoing challenge throughout the placement. Session lengths were frequently affected by factors out of our control, including registration, classroom announcements, post-lunch transitions, and behavioural regulation. During the first three weeks, the intervention group sessions took place before the main class workshops, additional time was often required before the main group was ready to participate. Consequently, several planned activities could not be delivered fully within the available time. This required weekly revisions, with opting out of few planned activities.

Reflecting on the planning process, several improvements could be made for future placements. Although a preliminary site visit was conducted for safeguarding purposes and to inspect the available instruments and classroom space, additional teaching areas were not explored in detail. Greater awareness of the available space would have enabled more realistic planning from the start. Furthermore, clearer communication with school staff regarding all exact timings would have supported more effective session organisation. This experience indicated the importance of adaptability, communication, and contingency planning within community-based educational settings.

Reflection on Process and Outcomes

Building Children’s Confidence Through Exploratory Musical Activities

Intervention Group

One of the primary aims of the workshops was to build children’s confidence through exploratory musical activities, particularly within the intervention group. Children were introduced to a simple rhythm activity involving crotchet notes and rests, where they clapped rhythmic patterns while verbally identifying the notation aloud (refer to Week 3 Intervention Group Video). After several practice, some children became increasingly confident in recognising and performing these rhythmic patterns.

There is an unexpected outcome when children from the intervention group later participated in the main class sessions in the other week. A student confidently recalled the term “crotchet” and volunteered answers during group questioning activities (refer to Week 4 Video 0:00–0:12). This demonstrated they increased both musical understanding and self-confidence after practice in the intervention session. Research suggests that small-group learning environments can strengthen participation and comprehension through collaborative learning (JF Smart Learning, 2025). Similarly, quieter children within the intervention group appeared more willing to participate actively.

Developing Musical Skills Through Singing, Rhythm, Movement, and Listening

Soundscaping

Repeated exposure to environmental sounds can support memory and listening development through pattern recognition and imitation (Monkey Music, 2025). Soundscaping activities were therefore relatable for reception-age children, who were encouraged to recreate environmental sounds using instruments and vocal imitation, including drum strikes for thunder, shakers for raindrops, and animal sounds through vocal mimicking (refer to Week 7 Video). Young children enjoy vocal experimentation even when rhythmic consistency is still developing (Regents’ Centre for Early Developmental Education, 2020: 4–5). Through repeated participation, children demonstrated greater confidence, coordination, active listening, and imaginative engagement while collaboratively exploring sound.

Move!

Movement-based musical activities also played a significant role in developing musical coordination skills. Throughout the placement, the movement song Move! was repeated regularly as part of the workshop structure. During the first session, many children struggled to synchronise movement accurately with the music despite the repeated refrain structure. However, in the following weeks, children became increasingly coordinated to response to the musical cues (refer to Week 1 Video 0:40–1:10; Week 6 Video 0:59–1:54). Children express their excitement when they hear familiar songs and movements.

Regular repetition appeared improves children’s anticipation, listening, and confidence, enabling them to engage more independently with movement and rhythmic tasks. Over time, children responded more quickly to musical changes and demonstrated stronger pulse awareness through increasingly synchronised actions.

Crotchet Beats

Rhythm activities involving crotchet beats supported the development of listening and coordination skills through clapping and instrumental playing. Although children initially struggled to clap together consistently, repeated practice encouraged them to listen more carefully to both facilitators and peers, resulting in improved ensemble synchronisation over time (refer to Week 4 Video 0:00–1:37; Week 6 Video 0:00–1:58). The activities later developed through instrumental improvisation linked to emotions and movement patterns (refer to Week 4 Video 1:37–2:54). Visual rhythmic patterns also supported engagement by combining listening, movement, and visual learning simultaneously reflecting aspects of the Orff Schulwerk approach, which integrates movement, body percussion, and instrumental playing to encourage active music-making (Gustina, 2020: 59–60; Patricia Shehan Campbell & Stewart, 2013).

To summarise, these activities demonstrated how repetition, movement, sound exploration, and active participation can support the development of listening, coordination, rhythm, and confidence in early years music practice. Through soundscaping, movement, and rhythm-based tasks, children became increasingly engaged, responsive, and confident in participating collaboratively within musical activities.

Creating a Safe and Predictable Learning Environment

A safe and predictable learning environment was created through a consistent session structure maintained across the placement. Each workshop followed a predictable format: a warm-up song with Sophie playing guitar, a soundscaping activity using instruments, a follow-up video-based music activity, second soundscaping task, and a closing goodbye song. This repeated structure supported children in understanding expectations and transitioning more confidently between activities.

Hello Song

A Hello Song was used as a call-and-response warm-up game. This repeat-after-me structure encouraged verbal participation in a low-pressure context. In the first round, children responded slowly and hesitantly. However, responses became noticeably louder and quicker as children became familiar with the activity structure (refer to Week 1 Intervention Group Video; Week 1 Video 0:00–0:40). Children became more confident in responding quickly and accurately, suggesting increased familiarity and reduced hesitation.

Researchers suggest that predictable structures and repetition can create a sense of safety and order. It helps reduce anxiety and support engagement in early childhood learning environments. Children benefit from developing cognitive systems related to prediction and planning and to consolidate learning (Gustina, 2020: 64–65; Keller, 2025; BBC, 2026). In the workshops, this was reflected in children’s engagement with repeated musical activities, particularly rhythmic call-and-response games.

However, while repetition proved effective in supporting confidence and participation, it also presented certain limitations. A strong reliance on imitation and fixed routines may restrict opportunities for spontaneous creativity and individual musical expression, limiting children’s ability to experiment independently with sound and movement. Therefore, within this project, repetition was primarily used in relation to the workshop structure and overall session format, while the musical content and activities varied each week. This balance allowed children to benefit from the security and familiarity of routine while still engaging in new, creative tasks.

Supporting Social Interaction and Teamwork Through Shared Music-Making & Fostering Creativity and Curiosity Through Imaginative, Multi-Sensory Musical Experiences

Another key aim of the workshops was to encourage social interaction, teamwork, creativity, and curiosity through collaborative music-making and imaginative musical activities. Throughout the placement, children were encouraged to engage collectively through rhythm games, soundscaping, movement, and instrumental exploration. 

Collaborative learning approaches can support the development of social communication skills in young children. According to Shifflet (2026), effective collaboration requires active listening, turn-taking, eye contact, and respect for others’ ideas. In the workshops, attempts were made to encourage these skills through group composition activities, particularly during the crotchet rhythm sessions delivered to the intervention group.

Failure to Support Teamwork

However, there is a failure when demonstrating the “crotchet beat” activity. When children were asked to create their own rhythm patterns using crotchet notes and rests, several children were eager to share their own ideas and take the lead, which caused disagreements during the activity (refer to Week 3 Intervention Group Video 1:50–2:17; 2:32–2:44). In which the aim was originally to encourage creativity and teamwork by allowing children to share musical ideas together.

To manage the situation, turn-taking was introduced so children could share ideas one at a time. This reduced conflict in the short term. Due to limited time and classroom management concerns, the activity was not repeated in the same way with the larger main group. Later sessions became more facilitator-led instead.

Successfully Fostering Creativity and Curiosity

The workshops successfully fostered creativity and curiosity through exploratory soundscaping activities (refer to Week 1 Video 1:10–1:28). Using instruments, movement, vocal imitation, and environmental storytelling, children were encouraged to imagine natural environments and recreate sounds associated with weather, animals, and seasonal change. The open-ended nature of soundscaping allowed children to explore musical ideas without focusing on right or wrong answers, creating a more accessible and playful creative environment.

This part of the placement emphasised the need for early childhood community music practice to strike a balance between structure and creative freedom, and it reinforced the significance of modifying creative activities to be inclusive and controllable in group settings.

Other Challenges & Limitations of the Project

Although the workshops achieved several positive outcomes, the placement also revealed important challenges and limitations relating to classroom management, communication, participant engagement, and inclusivity.

Classroom Management

Finding a balance between musical discovery and efficient classroom administration was one of the major challenges. Even though kids were really excited about performing instruments, facilitators and classroom teachers needed to communicate well in order to keep students’ attention and listening skills in a large class. Sometimes, especially during larger soundscaping exercises, the excitement created by instrumental activity made transitions and instruction more challenging.

Choice of Words

Another challenge appears during activities linking music and emotional understanding. In one soundscaping exercise, children were encouraged to associate musical sounds and gestures with emotional vocabulary. However, several emotional terms used in the workshop, such as “anxious” or “frustrated,” are unfamiliar to many students. Due to the developmental stage of reception-age children and their limited attention spans (National Health Service, 2026), some children struggled to understand or apply these concepts independently and instead relied heavily on imitation, or worse impatience.

Blasco-Magraner (2021: 20) suggests that musical activities can support emotional recognition more effectively than non-musical tasks by helping children connect emotions with sound, imagery, and movement. This suggests that emotional-musical exploration should remain part of future workshop practice, although activities may require further adaptation to suit participants’ developmental levels. In future practice, emotional learning activities could be made more accessible by introducing simpler emotional vocabulary, such as “happy,” “sad,” or “scared”, before progressing towards more complex emotional concepts. Greater collaboration with classroom teachers could also help align workshop language with children’s existing classroom learning and curriculum exposure.

Engagement

Differences in engagement between individual children also presented an ongoing limitation throughout the project. Within the main class sessions of 29 students, children demonstrated varied levels of confidence, attention, and participation. Some children engaged enthusiastically every week, volunteering answers and responding actively to activities, while others rarely spoke or participated, including some children outside the intervention group. Due to time limitations and the need to maintain overall workshop pacing, quieter participants were not always supported as effectively as intended during larger group sessions. This highlighted a broader challenge within inclusive community music practice, balancing collective group management with individual participant needs.

Reflecting on this limitation, future projects could benefit from more clearly divided facilitator roles. For example, while one facilitator leads activities, additional facilitators could adopt more observational and supportive positions by monitoring quieter participants, encouraging engagement, and responding to individual needs more directly. Communicating these observations to classroom teachers may also help ensure that less confident children receive ongoing support beyond the workshops themselves.

Sensory and Acoustic Limitations

Sensory and acoustic limitations within the classroom environment also affected engagement for some participants. With 29 children playing instruments simultaneously in a confined space, the overall sound level occasionally became overwhelming. Some children appeared sensitive to excessive noise and responded by disengaging from activities or covering their ears. This practice can be improved by being more careful with dynamic control, smaller instrumental groups, or quieter listening activities could help create a more balanced sensory environment. At that time, some students were given ear mug by the teacher, to low the sound level they hear.

As a group, we occasionally struggled to balance leading activities with observing and supporting the wider classroom environment. When one facilitator was teaching, others did not always respond proactively to the needs of participants or staff. I recognised that I could have taken greater initiative in supporting the overall workshop environment rather than focusing solely on my own role. To conclude, these challenges reinforced the importance of adaptability, inclusive facilitation, differentiated communication, and realistic expectations when working within early years community music settings. While not all workshop aims were fully achieved, the limitations of the project provided valuable insight into the complexities of group facilitation, participant diversity, and responsive music leadership.

Personal Learning

One of the most significant areas of personal learning throughout this placement involved communication and facilitation confidence.

I recognised that I sometimes struggled to express instructions clearly and confidently through verbal explanation. During certain sessions, my speaking volume became quieter when I felt uncertain about whether my instructions were correct or fully understood, which occasionally affected clarity. Sometimes it may also reduced children’s focus and understanding. According to the National Health Service (2026), listening and attention skills are foundational for communication and participation in group activities. Non-verbal communication proved particularly effective for children, as visual demonstration often supported understanding more successfully than lengthy verbal explanation. In the workshops, the use of clear verbal instructions alongside large physical gestures appeared to improve children’s attention, anticipation, and ability to follow collective musical actions.

The placement also helped me recognise strengths within my non-verbal communication skills. In several activities, particularly when introducing crotchet and quaver rhythms to the intervention group, I found that physical gestures and visual cueing were often more effective than verbal explanation. For example, raising my hands silently to signal attention encouraged children to stop playing, focus, and prepare collectively without verbal interruption (refer to Week 4 Video 1:07–1:36). Similarly, the verbal cue “Ready – Go – Clap,” combined with clear physical gestures, supported children’s listening, anticipation, and ensemble coordination. These experiences demonstrated that non-verbal communication can play a highly significant role, particularly for participants who respond more effectively to visual and physical modelling.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the placement successfully achieved many of its intended aims, building up children’s confidence and teaching them musical skills, creating a safe space for them to explore and express their musical creativity. The placement strengthened my confidence in using non-verbal communication, musical modelling, and movement-based facilitation strategies. It also highlighted areas for my further development, particularly in verbal instruction, proactive observation, and collaborative facilitation.

These experiences and evaluation have contributed significantly to my understanding of early years community music practice and will inform my future work as both a musician and workshop facilitator.

Appendices

Appendix A – Videos

Appendix B – Project Aims

• Build children’s confidence through exploratory musical activities;
• Develop musical skills through singing, rhythm, movement, and listening;
• Support social interaction and teamwork through shared music-making;
• Create a safe and predictable learning environment; and
• Foster creativity and curiosity through imaginative, multi-sensory musical experiences.

Appendix C – Each lesson plans

Appendix D – Risk assessments

Appendix E – Feedback forms

Appendix F – Original Project Structure & 7 Weeks Project Plan

Project Design Approach 

The project plan is structured using Design Thinking principles (Beccaux, 2021; Gibbons, 2016), following the stages of empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test. This framework supports a systematic and reflective planning process that responds to children’s needs and informs ongoing adaptation.

Book: Hello Spring

Central ideas: Friendship, sadness, worry, and resilience → culminating in the message that friendship is most important.

Approach: Use music and movement to explore emotions, encourage physical development, and support communication and social skills.

Intended outcome: Children are supported to express feelings through soundscapes, songs, and movement, while developing confidence and empathy.

Intervention Groups

• Mini-classes: 30 minutes before the main session for the first 3 weeks
• Content: Same material as the main class, simplified and scaffolded
• Target participants:
  • Children learning at a slower pace
  • Children with low confidence

Week 1

• Warm-up: Hello Song; movement to the beat
• Main activity: Storytelling with sound effects (Hello Spring); percussion for weather sounds
• Cool-down: Calming movement game (rain, snow, sunshine)

Week 2

• Warm-up: Jungle animal movement; genre drawing
• Main activity: Instrument exploration; “Map” soundscape journey
• Cool-down: Goodbye Song

Week 3

• Warm-up: “If I Were a Duck” – animal sounds & dynamics
• Main activity: Egg Nest rhythm game; “Sounds of Spring” soundscape
• Cool-down: Goodbye Song with rhythm tracing (Brahms Waltz)

Week 4

• Warm-up: “If I Were a Duck” in a jungle context
• Main activity: Emotions soundscape (Spring Fairy’s feelings)
• Cool-down: Movement song exploring emotions

Week 5

• Warm-up: Genre drawing; repeat-after-me instruments
• Main activity: Recap soundscapes; Thunder soundscape
• Cool-down: Goodbye Song with rhythm tracing

Week 6

• Warm-up: Vivaldi’s Spring body percussion
• Main activity: Final Spring soundscape (friendship, emotions); recap all soundscapes
• Cool-down: Walking through Season Isle; quiet dynamics

Week 7

• Warm-up: Simon Says with dynamics
• Main activity: Rehearsal of soundscapes with cues; performance of Hello Spring retelling
• Cool-down: Movement exercise as spring animals

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