mono- and multilingual learners( Kirby et al. 2023). It is part of a developmentally appropriate curriculum when thoughtfully introduced into play and instructional activities( Salvador 2019; NAEYC 2020). Music can also help advance equity in that it is an integral part of different cultures and ethnic identities( NAEYC 2019) and allows both children and teachers to share their backgrounds and experiences( Niland & Holland 2019). Yet even with these important benefits, researchers have expressed a need for strengthening educators’ preparation in music-related experiences and education( see Bautista et al. 2022).
As a former music, kindergarten, and Head Start educator who now works with preservice early childhood teachers, I volunteer to share music at the community preschool where the candidates I teach complete their weekly field placements. This opportunity evolved after one of the program’ s educators asked if I could recommend any articles about using music in the early learning setting. I offered a few suggestions then boldly asked if I might begin sharing music on Fridays. This would help me get to know the children my preservice teachers worked with and allow me to collaborate with the program’ s educators. It also would answer my longing for the connection, joy, and meaning that come from joint music making.
The teachers agreed, and I began working with them to match music experiences to their lessons and activities. I also worked to incorporate some music education elements from my former life as a full-time music teacher. Call-and-response singing, transition songs, dance parties, instrument playing, and singing games became part of children’ s learning and provided a way for us all to connect, engage, and have fun together.
Reflecting on the program teacher’ s request for more articles on integrating music and teaching, I became curious about how music has been discussed, shared, and practiced with young children throughout NAEYC’ s history and periodicals. NAEYC’ s centennial offered an opportunity for a 100-year review! This historical knowledge, combined with current research and practice, provides powerful insights into the importance of including music in early childhood spaces and how best to do it. In this article, I highlight the ways music has been discussed and written about over the past 100 years at NAEYC and offer tips for current practitioners looking to incorporate music into their settings today.
Music Perspectives from NAEYC’ s Heritage
Patty Smith Hill, one of the founders of the organization we now know as NAEYC, was a proponent of music in early childhood settings. She and her sister, Mildred, composed many songs for children, including“ Good Morning to All,” which was eventually rewritten as“ Happy Birthday.” Although the Hill sisters understood the importance of melodies and words that aligned with children’ s development( Allen 2016), it took some time before early childhood educators recognized that many folk songs and rhymes were also musically accessible, rich examples of language and culture( see Jones & Hawes 1972; Orozco 1998).
Until this realization, practitioners hoping to learn how to include music in early childhood settings could turn to bulletins published by the National Association for Nursery Education( NAEYC’ s predecessor). At first, short pieces noted musicrelated workshops or trainings. Later bulletins included entries that focused on dedicated music books and resources. These references to musical training and the careful selection of materials built on the writings and teachings of Hill and her followers.
For example, in an introduction to a text on music, Hill noted the importance of music in the classroom but cautioned against depending too much on the piano and too little on individual or group singing( 1929). While she did not propose avoiding the piano, Hill did invite children and teachers to sing without accompaniment or to use handheld or folk instruments. She invited teachers to think about
Spring 2026 Young Children 55