New to Teaching Kids? Start here
POV: You are an amazing voice teacher and have started working with a student much younger than you are accustomed to. You are unsure where to start, what singing exercises are appropriate, and how to structure a lesson.
You have come to the right place. (Song and Lesson Plans included!)
Step one
Download the FREE lesson plan package It’s Raining Cats and Dogs – Lesson Plans. This download package includes everything you need for a fabulous lesson with a young singer, including scores, backing tracks, and lesson plan ideas.
Step two
In addition to our free Song Download Package, here are some helpful guidelines to address common teacher concerns.
The good news
Working with children in singing lessons is not as scary (or dangerous) as your pedagogy teacher may have led you to believe. Children can enjoy engaging, fun, and productive singing lessons if the teaching philosophy and approach are age-appropriate.
Patience is your guide
Effective pacing that aligns with a child’s developmental stage is crucial in age-appropriate singing lessons. Children require ample review to develop basic skills. (More review than you might think!) By honoring their development and celebrating the small wins in every lesson, teachers can inspire confidence and passion for singing in their young students.
Teacher Trap: Your value as a teacher is not measured by how quickly your students make progress.
Play-based learning is powerful. It is hands-on, minds-on learning. If your experience as a voice student was serious and demanding, introducing singing concepts with curiosity and exploration might feel less than productive. Rest assured, this approach has immense value and results for all ages.
During play, children use all their senses, communicate their thoughts and emotions, explore their environment, and connect what they already know with new knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
National Association for the Education of Young Children www.naeyc.org
Piano is not a prerequisite for beginner singing lessons
Piano lessons are fabulous – if a student has the means and interest in learning to play piano. Children who want to learn to sing can do so without having piano experience. There are ENDLESS singing activities that inspire healthy singing and allow students to learn the language of music. There is no need to turn away students without a piano background or force a child to learn an instrument they are not interested in. (Friend, I say this as an eager mom who forced her kiddo to play the piano for a year – asking a human to express themselves in a way they are not interested in is not a kind gesture!) By the way, FULL VOICE Music resources are developed to honour and celebrate beginner singers and the vocal instrument.
Children can stay on task
Young humans can stay on task for 10 to 20 minutes when actively participating and engaged. Fun Fact: Engagement is not compliance. Inspired teaching is through observation and the ability to modify your instruction and activities to the student’s needs.
Vocal exercises for children
Appropriate voice exercises for a child are ANY activities that:
- bring awareness to the body and voice
- inspire active participation
- invite exploration
- pique curiosity
- make them smile
- bring ease to singing
Appropriate voice exercises for a child are ANY activities that the student enjoys! Young singers can explore solfège activities, short song studies, and exercises exploring a variety of singing volumes and how it relates to breath and bodies. Simple vocalizations, such as small scale fragments or short song studies that explore a range of dynamic singing, are always helpful. (Like the song you just downloaded)
Common sense reminder
All voices are primarily limited by more demanding vocal techniques. In simpler terms, (all) singers should refrain from prolonged singing of:
- High pitches
- Excessive volume
- Rapid passages of notes
- Lengthy phrases
- Any combination of these activities
You will discover your students’ interests and strengths as you get to know them. Always start with what they can do, building on these skills first. Celebrate the effort and the wins, no matter how small. With the right approach, mindset, and resources, working with young singers is incredibly rewarding.
To build your kid-friendly teaching toolbox, check out our:
Teacher Training Courses and Workshops
🇦🇺 AU Courses and Workshops here
Free Downloads
🇦🇺 AU Freebies here
