Props, themselves, can be considered techniques, and as with any techniques, some are more effective than others. Toys and household items can become lovely props that can add to—or take away from—the magic of the musical narrative. Assuming that children are musically ready for props, the props you choose and the techniques you use with them can spark music babble, elicit one-on-one response, and stimulate joy, enchanting children in the process. Poor choices of props, ineffective techniques with them, or using props before children are musically ready for them, can discourage music babble, diminish individual response, zap enthusiasm, and defeat the very purpose of a well-chosen activity.

The musical narrative has to be prime, with the prop serving as a “musical instrument” that invites interaction with the meter or tonality, rather than just interaction with the prop. Establishing the meter or tonality before introducing the prop, and bringing the prop into the activity through your musical engagement with the prop, (without verbalization,) better assures that children will receive the prop as a “musical instrument,” rather than as a toy.  Your modeling with a single prop, and keeping the musical narrative prime while passing out props to children individually, invites children to engage musically just as you did, with the musical narrative in the foreground. Collecting props within the context of the ongoing meter or tonality further defines the prop as a musical instrument rather than toy, as the musical narrative continues until all props are put away.

Similarly, your modeling with a single prop for activities that invite taking turns, has to keep the musical narrative in the forefront.  More than that, the activity has to provide for individual turns to sustain the musical narrative, or children will tune out and become restless while waiting for a turn. Contrast the two examples below as props/techniques to use for a Resting Tone Activity. The first assures a highly musical activity that captures children’s musical imagination while enchanting the children from start to finish. The second defeats the very purpose of the activity, interrupting the musical mind and making the activity all but meaningless, musically.

1. Singing the resting tone with a puppet: You sing in the chosen tonality, setting up the musical narrative. Singing on the resting tone, you introduce the puppet as one who sings only the resting tone. The children are compelled by the tonality, excited by the puppet, and both the imagination and the musical imagination are spellbound by the puppet singing the resting tone in relation to your short, melodic segments. After a number of tonal segments, each followed by the puppet’s resting tone, you sing on the resting tone, inviting the children to sing the resting tone with the puppet. The musical narrative is still in the foreground, and the children are contributing musically just as the puppet, consistently reinforcing the resting tone. After successful group response, you non-verbally invite individual children to sing the resting tone with the puppet. The magical little being on your hand continues to sing the resting tone with each child, reinforcing the resting tone in all the little musical minds, enticing them to anticipate the resting tone each time the puppet is to sing with a child, further strengthening tonal audiation. Some children will be happy to sing with the puppet by themselves. Some may be so drawn into the magic of the musicality of the puppet that they may overcome their own shyness to sing the resting tone with the puppet. Some may not yet be ready to sing with the puppet, but you leave space for each child’s response, as the resting tone will be heard in audiation by all of the children, whether or not it is heard live. With individual turns in this activity, the musical narrative is still in charge, sustaining the magic throughout the entire activity.

2. Catch the ball and sing the resting tone: You sing in the tonality, setting up the musical narrative. Singing on the resting tone, you invite children to sing the resting tone when they catch the ball, and then throw or roll it back to you.  The musical narrative is interrupted as the ball gets dropped or rolls away. Children are more interested in catching the ball than they are in singing the resting tone, and those waiting for a turn become restless. Children’s experience outside the classroom leads them to have certain expectations for a ball. A ball is for bouncing, throwing, catching. Rather than introducing the ball in a musical context, defining its use as a musical instrument by your model, as you did the puppet, you are now having to restrict children’s natural response to a ball. Also, it takes skill to manipulate a ball—even when just rolling the ball—manipulative skill that little children have not yet mastered. More than that, it is hard for young children to catch a ball and sing a resting tone at the same time, let alone understand the “game.” The physical response to a ball overcomes the musical response to resting tone, and the “game” becomes one of playing ball rather than singing the resting tone. The musical magic is gone, as is the attention of the group. Older children, in particular, can get carried away with the “ball game,” interrupting audiation with various antics with a ball.