Today, I’m excited to introduce a new writer for PreKinders.com: Bren, who is a Pre-K teacher in Illinois. Bren has long been an email friend of mine, and I thought it would be great if she could share her awesome ideas here. Here is Bren’s classroom Music Center. I love how organized it is.
— Karen
An inexpensive shoe organizer is just the right size for a classroom music center. A piece of “fun foam” in each slot cushions and protects the instruments (a piece of double stick tape keeps the fun foam in place). Matching numbers on the instruments and slots helps keep things organized and provides a number matching activity as the instruments are put away.
Command hooks on the wall hold dancing ribbons and tambourines and the small shelf above holds additional instruments and a kid-friendly cd player.
The dancing ribbons are made from fabric strips and shower curtain rings.
Be sure to leave a comment below! Tell us what you think or share any ideas.
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I am soooo glad I found you!! I just wish I had found you sooner!! I started at Head Start in January of this year and wow was I swimming up stream fast with no where to go!! I am thankful to you for helping me get a great start this year.
Hi Brigitte! Glad you found the site! Thanks for such a nice compliment.
I am so loving this music center. I will definitely be mimicking this is my preschool classroom.
Simply delightful!
I love that mutiple concepts are involved; i.e.
the actual exploration of music and the math involved through putting the instruments away after making music;
Space is often limited when setting up centers; this is appealing and a wonderful use of space!
Wow! I don’t teach pre-K but I teach 1, 2, 3 graders in an alternate curriculum program and this is right up our alley. I have kids that LOVE sound and kids that need to hit something the right way! 🙂
I will definitely have a similar space in my room on Monday!
I like the organization of the music center, in my classroom the music cednter in located in th big activity area, the one I use for circle time . a transparent box divided in two one for percution instruments and the other for the intruments that have a short quick noise when shaken, the toddlers in my class were and still are interested in continue playing the instruments during the day.
Dear Bren
I cant wait to make a music centre at my kinder! I love the idea of function, accessibility and fun.
Music is a hugely important aspect of my program that all the children thoroughly enjoy.
Thank you for your fabulous idea.
Helen
Thank you, this a great centers
Thank you for all the great ideas you have shared with us!
This is a great idea. I’ll pass it along. Thanks for sharing. I’m sure alot of teachers will benefit. Come visit me at toddlersthroughpreschool.com
Amazing! I love it! I can’t wait to try it in my classroom!
Hi.
I am so glad that I found your site for me to get so much idea.
I have performance background as a piano player, recently changed my career to teach young children. And you have given me so much ideas to start. Thanks for your generosity..
Very warm regards.
Haejin
I love this concept. With minimum space this idea is perfect. THANK YOU so much for the advice I am so glad I found this site.
Love this idea! I have retired from teaching after over 27 years, but still help out and will take this idea to ‘show around’ when I sub. THANK YOU
Love this! My “music center” is a laundry basket. Im going to Target right now! T
Thank you!
Karen
I like what Bren did to her music area. She has it very organized.
Thank You for the idea.
Helen G.
What a great idea, this is a wonderful way to present musical instruments. So great, and we will create this center soon! Thanks!
I love the concept of this center, but have not been able to find anything like your shoe organizer. Can you tell me where you got that? Anything I have seen that is similar is in the $150 on up range.
I am so glad you posted this! I was just thinking of adding a music center to my classroom- I may do it exactly like yours!
I am 63 and have just begun tutoring a mother / daughter duo that attend my local church and both have schizophrenia and are also autistic. They just light up with music… and I include it with home ec, math, abc’s, money, time and Bible stories… all from my home. This is just perfect for my hall closet. Thanks soooooo much for the idea… keep ’em coming!!!!!!!!
Thanks this is the inspiration I needed taking some of your ideas and adding to my Music centre
It is vital to regard the time factor whenever you
decide to make beats online. This is possibly the most effective and most inexpensive answer to making your own beats
as well as having a top quality, business sounding song.
We have a very academic program in our district. That being said, I still include exploration in my “work” stations (dramatic play, sensory table, art). How do you keep the level of sound to one you can work with while your working at your small group table? I can “tune out” (pardon pun) quite a lot…
Well, the way I’ve always done it is to have “center time” separate from small group time. We have one full hour of free choice centers, and then small group runs about 20 minutes. You can see my schedule here: https://www.prekinders.com/schedule/. I like having the two separate much better because small group time is quieter. I do have 4 groups going at once during small group, 2 with teachers, and 2 independent groups. I give them quiet independent activities during small group – they’re not playing at centers. I don’t know if that would work for you in your situation, but if you can, its worth a try.
Interesting! I have 2 half day classes. I’m guessing you are able to circulate during centers (which would be great), rather than attempt to run a small group & monitor centers (notice “attempt”). I do share a paraprofessional… I think it’s a definite possibility! I could have one group, she could work with another group inside my class (versus her working in the hallway…), and then there would be a couple of groups working independently. This makes me think of a follow-up question. What do you consider “quiet independent” activities?
I’ve wanted to do a music center for so long! Love the way this is organized. I’m teaching half day pre-k in the fall and cannot configure the schedule to have 2 separate centers/small group time. Maybe I can alternate a different way to allow for louder noise level??
Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful ideas! I can’t believe I have never found your site before. I am currently a director of a child care center which cares for children ages 2-6! So many of your ideas will be beneficial for my classrooms and I cannot wait to share with my staff.
Hi Karen great work loved your ideas and site,I was also teaching Georgia pre- k for last six years..keep it up 🙂