The process of music learning is much the same across ages. Children learning a new language have to go through much the same process whether 6 months, 6 years, or 16, and the journey through Sound/Syllables/Symbols is the process of music learning, whatever the age of the children. 15 year olds will benefit as will 5 year olds from immersion in the various meters and tonalities and interaction with each. It is not the content that differs with age, but how you present that content. The foundational level of learning through sound, with increasing levels of content difficulty should be an ongoing process throughout life. Age is but a factor in how that content is received and used, cueing you in moving forward.
0-2 Year-Olds
Babies have the advantage of a fully ripe, accessible musical mind, without the interference of the thinking mind. Immersion is the prime mode for babies, just as it is for language, with interactivity serving as much for immersion as to encourage interaction. Babies who are old enough to vocalize in response to speech are old enough to interact vocally with music, and you may get meaningful rhythm dialogue before meaningful speech. There is no hurry to move babies to tonal and rhythm syllables, but children engaged in the recommended content throughout the first couple of years can comfortably engage with syllables by age 2.
3-5 Year-Olds
The criteria for forward movement with this age is output as well as input. Children with extensive immersion and interactive experience with the recommended content can be moved forward to rhythm and tonal syllables, as long as there is some competence demonstrated with at least Rhythm Dialogue with macro and micro beats in duple and triple meters, and Resting Tone Activities. If children struggle with Rhythm Dialogue or are not successful with Resting Tone Activities, they need much more immersion and interaction at the foundational level before being ready for rhythm and tonal syllables.
6-8 Year-Olds
The thinking mind of children these ages may want to dominate the experience, and “outsmart” the musical mind, slowing the effect of 12-16 weeks at the foundational level. Children this age should show competence in Rhythm Dialogue in both duple and triple meters with macro and micro beats and some divisions, and competence in movement and chanting with unusual meters in macro and micro beats as well as duple and triple. Most should show competence with Resting Tone Activities, and at least sound like they are in the given tonality in Tonal Dialogue, whether their pitches are yet discreet or not. When this level of competency is reached by most of the children, they are ready to move on to syllables.
Older Children
The older the children, the more the thinking mind gets in the way and the more remedial work is necessary, which can slow the effect of the 12-16 weeks at the foundational level. The competence level described above for 6-8 year olds is essential before moving on to syllables. A motivated ensemble may move more quickly than garden variety kids, but they will progress most efficiently in the long run with at least 1 full term at the foundational level before being introduced to syllables.
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