Bringing Music Outside: Enhancing Early Learning Through Outdoor Percussion Play

Using Music Outdoors in Early Childhood Education

Guest Expert Blog by Karen E. Goulandris, Ed.S., M.Ed.

At Percussion Play, we believe in the power of outdoor music to inspire, educate, and bring joy to children of all ages. We're excited to welcome Karen E. Goulandris, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Cuyahoga Community College, as a guest expert. In this post, Karen shares her insights into how music—especially when experienced outdoors—can support young children's development and enrich early learning environments.

Karen also features in our latest Podcast 'Sound Beginnings - How Music Shapes Young Minds

The Value of Outdoor Music in Early Learning

When we think of outdoor playtime in early childhood education, we often imagine children running, playing, and using loud voices. Screeches of laughter are common as they play chase or tag. While these moments are important, the outdoor environment should also be an extension of the indoor classroom.

Intentional Outdoor Learning Environments

Educators should be intentional about the materials they provide outside. Whether the space is large or small, it's essential to offer:

• Open-ended, spontaneous play
• Open-ended structured play

Structured play outdoors can promote cognitive and social development just like indoor activities. One valuable area to explore outside is music and musical instruments.

Why Music Belongs Outdoors

Children are naturally drawn to music. They often sing and chant while swinging, climbing, or walking. Singing and movement go hand in hand, making music a powerful learning tool.

Benefits of Outdoor Music Activities

Outdoor musical instruments—like drums, chimes, and bells—enhance children’s:

• Natural rhythm and coordination
• Memory and prediction skills
• Language and listening abilities

For example:

• A teacher can play a drum rhythm, and children run or stop based on the beat
• Children can mimic drum patterns by stomping their feet
• Songs like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star can be sung using /ba/ syllables while children tap rhythms on drums

According to Stanford University Medical Center (2007), music helps the brain organize information, improving memory and attention—key to language development.

Encouraging Audiation and Sound Awareness

Children benefit from uninterrupted time to explore instruments. They can play solo or collaborate with peers. With teacher support, these moments become even richer.

Modeling and Scaffolding

Educators can support musical development through:

• Pitch matching: Using solfège to align vocal sounds with chimes or bells
• Sentence melodies: Singing sentences while matching pitch to instruments
• Syllable segmentation: Tapping one chime per syllable of a child’s name, then gliding the mallet to blend sounds

This supports audiation, a concept developed by Edwin Gordon, which involves hearing, thinking about, and understanding music before responding to it (Gordon Institute of Music Learning, n.d.).

Supporting Young Listeners

To become strong listeners and sound distinguishers, children need:

• Open-ended opportunities for musical exploration
• Teacher scaffolding to guide and enrich these experiences

Outdoor music play is not just fun—it builds foundational language and listening skills that support lifelong learning.

References

• Koenig, J. (2021). The Musical Child. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Stanford University Medical Center. (2007, August 5). Music Moves Brain to Pay Attention, Study Finds. Retrieved March 28, 2025, from ScienceDaily
• The Gordon Institute of Music Learning. (n.d.). Audiation. Retrieved March 30, 2025, from giml.org

Karen E. Goulandris, Ed.S., M.Ed. Associate Professor – Early Childhood Education Cuyahoga Community College – Cleveland, Ohio