Young children can do so many things. We often have to look beyond what we see and hear, so as not to be fooled into thinking that they are far more advanced than they really are. Can young children learn note names?  Absolutely!  Can they tell a quarter note from a half note? Sure! Can they imitate your many rhythm patterns or tonal segments? Of course! Can they find keys at the piano or pick out a tune? Yes! Do any of these mean that they have a developed sense of meter or tonality? Probably not! Do they mean that the child is reading music? Not likely! Do they mean that the child can really play by ear? Not necessarily!

Children can learn to recognize quarter notes and half notes as they do ABCs, but quarter notes and half notes have no meaning in the musical mind. They can learn to recognize a G and play a G on the piano much as they learn to type their names at the computer, but a note name has no meaning in the musical mind. Children may be able to impressively imitate difficult patterns in Duple meter or tonal segments in Major tonality, but if they cannot also deliver similar patterns precisely in Triple meter and Unusual Paired meter, or sing well in-tune in each of the various tonalities, their demonstration of expertise is not coming from a secure sense of meter or tonality. These children need substantial immersion in the various meters and tonalities, interaction through Rhythm Dialogue, Resting Tone Activities, Macro/Micro Beat Activities, and Tonal Dialogue, all in the various meters and tonalities, and all accompanied by movement; followed by the same progression with rhythm and tonal syllables. Then they will be equipped to engage with reading music as naturally as they do language.

You may occasionally find a child that is truly gifted, but all children are musically gifted, and the young musical mind will always surprise you with what it can do. Just don’t be fooled by what the thinking mind can do, which is also very impressive, but not an indication of music development or musical giftedness. Remember that in all matters musical, the thinking mind gets in the way of the musical mind—until the musical mind is secure enough through sound and syllables that it can begin to bring meaning to notation and then learn to collaborate with the thinking mind in the process of music reading.

If you have a child that seems to be well beyond the norm, feed that child more difficult content through interactivity. Broaden that child’s experience through listening to all types of music at home, and encourage a lot of movement to all types of music. The child might also be ready to engage with a standard musical instrument through an approach that champions musicality without the imposition of notation.

Embrace the young musical mind that is unencumbered by the thinking mind. Feed it more and more aurally and orally through immersion, interactivity, and movement, plus Art Songs and Gem Songs, rather than teaching the thinking mind to “note name” or “type” at the piano, which will only get  in the way of the musical mind. The question to ask yourself is not, “Can the children do it?” which will most often yield a “yes,” but rather, “Can the musical mind do it?” which will most often yield a “no,” or “not yet.” 

As music teachers, our unique privilege, and our imperative responsibility, is to teach—and to protect—the musical mind.