56: How to Start Listening to Classical Music in Your Homeschool and Why You Should!

In Episode 56 of the Music in Our Homeschool Podcast, hosted by Gena Mayo, discover how to start incorporating classical music into your homeschool and understand why it's beneficial for your child's education. Gena, a seasoned homeschooling mom of eight and music teacher with over 30 years of experience, shares practical tips and easy resources to seamlessly introduce classical music into your daily routine.

Are you curious about how classical music can enhance your homeschool journey? In this episode, you’ll learn how listening to classical music boosts brain development, strengthens memory, improves focus, and fosters emotional intelligence. Gena explains how classical music connects history and culture, enhancing creativity and teaching music appreciation, even if playing an instrument isn’t in your plan.

Explore seven no-stress strategies to make classical music a part of your homeschooling. From creating a morning music habit with pieces like Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons to using classical tunes as a background for learning, Gena offers manageable ways to engage your children with music. Discover the benefits of a weekly composer spotlight, engage in fun family games like musical charades, watch exciting live performances from sources like The Piano Guys, and introduce classical sounds through cartoons like Disney's Fantasia.

For a more structured approach, consider joining Music in Our Homeschool Plus for daily music appreciation lessons and live composer studies. Gena provides tips to transition smoothly into classical music appreciation and emphasizes starting small, with just a section a day or a composer a month.

Sharing joyful musical experiences with your children has never been easier.

Find all links to resources mentioned in this episode here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/listening-to-classical-music/

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Transcript

How to Start Listening to Classical Music in Your Homeschool and Why You Should! (E56)

[00:00:00] Hey there, Harmony Heroes. Welcome back to the Music in Our Homeschool podcast, the podcast that helps you bring music and fine arts into your homeschool in a simple, stress-free way. Today I'm going to guide you to make classical music an exciting and enriching part of your family's learning experience.

Have you ever wondered how to start listening to classical music in your homeschool? If you don't have a clue how or where to begin, you've come to the right place. Classical music can seem intimidating, but I promise it's easier than you think to incorporate it into your daily routine. By the end of this episode, you'll have some practical tips, easy resources, and a game plan to make classical music an enjoyable part of your homeschool life. 

Before we jump into the "how" t o listen to classical music, let's talk about the "why." Why should you bring classical music listening into your homeschool? Well, [00:01:00] first of all, it boosts brain development. Studies have shown that listening to classical music can enhance memory, improve focus, and even strengthen math skills.

It also fosters emotional intelligence. Classical music is filled with emotion. Kids learn to recognize different moods, tones, and expressions in music, which helps them with empathy and emotional development. 

It also connects history and culture. Every piece of music tells a story. Classical composers lived in different time periods and cultures, and their music reflects those histories. 

It enhances creativity. Whether your child is drawing, writing, or simply daydreaming, classical music provides a beautiful backdrop for creativity. 

And it's an easy way to teach music appreciation. Even if you never planned to teach your child to play an instrument, exposing them to great music is a powerful way to nurture an appreciation [00:02:00] for the arts. 

Now that we know why it's beneficial, let's get practical. Here are some simple, no stress ways to start incorporating classical music listening into your homeschool routine.

I have seven different ways. Number one, create a morning music habit of listening to classical music. Start your homeschool day by playing a classical piece during breakfast or while your kids are working on their morning routine. This can be as simple as pressing play on a Spotify or a YouTube playlist.

Here are a few great starter pieces. The Four Seasons by Vivaldi, Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart, Clair de Lune by Debussy, and Rhapsody in Blue by Gershwin. And here's a tip. It's okay to start slow. Maybe only a minute or two to begin with is fine. As you become more familiar with a piece of music, you can add more to subsequent hearings, but [00:03:00] don't force a 30-minute classical music listening session or it might backfire. We want the goal to be enjoyment. 

Number two, use classical music as a background for learning. You can play instrumental classical music during quiet work time, such as handwriting practice, math, or reading. Pieces with no lyrics will help with focus and concentration. Here are a few ideas. Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, Chopin's Nocturnes, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 6. 

Another tip, choose an easy way for your kids to listen. Go ahead and add a playlist to your Alexa or Google Home or Amazon Music or Spotify streaming service and then you're ready to go whenever the moment strikes. 

Number three is to have a weekly composer spotlight. Each week, choose one composer to highlight. [00:04:00] Listen to their music, read a short biography, and discuss their style. This can be a fun Music Monday or Fine Arts Friday activity. Some easy to start with composers include Mozart. He was the child prodigy who wrote over 600 pieces. Start with his Piano Concerto No. 21 or Symphony No. 41. Beethoven. He's the composer who became deaf but still wrote some of the most powerful symphonies. You'll love his 5th symphony or 9th symphony, the one that includes Ode to Joy. And Tchaikovsky. He's the composer of the beautiful music for the ballets The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. 

Another tip. Sometimes a more engaging way to listen to classical music is to actually watch the musicians. Find orchestras playing these pieces on YouTube, then go out and try to find a live performance in your area to [00:05:00] attend.

Number four, a simple option is to join Music in Our Homeschool Plus. If you love to have a consistent music appreciation with classical music experience in your homeschool, then joining Music in Our Homeschool Plus and following the Music Lesson Calendar of the Month makes it so easy. You get a daily 15-minute music appreciation lesson, a live interactive composer study lesson through Zoom each month, and much, much more. Find it over at MusicinOurHomeschool.com/Membership and just give it a try for a month. It's so easy to cancel if you decide that it's not right for you. 

Number five, Make listening to classical music a fun family game. You could turn classical music into a game by playing musical emotions charades. Play a piece and have your kids show how it [00:06:00] makes them feel. Classical freeze dance. Play a fast paced piece and have them dance to it and then pause it and they freeze. Musical chairs. You could use classical music to play this classic game. Arrange the chairs in a circle facing out with one less chair than there are players. Everyone walks around the chairs listening to the music. When the music stops, they sit. The player without a chair is out. Then remove a chair and continue the game until the last person who gets a chair to sit in is the winner. And another game is Draw What You Hear. Play a classical piece and have your kids draw a picture of how it inspires them.

Here's another tip. Add one of these fun, easy classical music games whenever you're feeling burnt out or losing the attention of your kids. It's a great transition activity or brain boost.

Number six, [00:07:00] watch some fun classical music performances. In addition to the regular classical music performances I mentioned that you should listen to earlier, there are some great YouTube performances that make classical music come alive for kids. Some of my favorites include those by the Piano Guys or watching Disney's Fantasia.

Another tip, project the performance onto your TV for a more exciting watching and listening experience.

Number seven is to combine classical music with cartoons. One of the most engaging ways to introduce classical music is through cartoons. Many classic cartoons have used classical music to enhance their storytelling.

A great way to dive into this is through two online courses that I have at Music in Our Home School. One is called Learn Classical Music with Cartoons. This online course includes [00:08:00] 47 different composers with their music in cartoon form. And then there's also Sound Bites: Classical Meets Cartoons. Discover the fascinating world of classical music through beloved cartoons with five weeks of done for you music appreciation that your whole family will love. 

And my last tip is to connect classical music to the story by finding a picture book about it. There are some for Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker, and many more. Ask your librarian which ones your library has available. 

So as we're wrapping up today, I just want you to know that listening to classical music doesn't have to be complicated or overwhelming. Start small, just one section of a one piece per day or one composer a week, or even one a month or one a season and let it naturally become part of your homeschool rhythm.

And remember there's no [00:09:00] right or wrong way to do this. If all you do is turn on a playlist while you're cooking dinner or have a quick music chat with one minute of listening during your homeschool morning time, you're already giving your kids a rich foundation in music appreciation.

And remember, if you're looking for done for you resources to make this even easier, check out Music in Our Homeschool Plus at MusicinOurHomeschool.com/membership because the Music Lesson Calendar of the Month makes it so easy. You could also head over to Learn.MusicinOurHomeschool.Com where I have a variety of full courses, composer studies, and lesson plans designed for busy homeschool moms just like you. 

Thank you so much for joining me today. If you found this episode helpful, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another homeschool mom who might need some musical inspiration.

Until next time, keep making music a joyful part of your [00:10:00] homeschool.

Find all links to resources mentioned in this episode here: https://musicinourhomeschool.com/listening-to-classical-music/