Purpose
The study investigates how the youngest kindergarten children use non-verbal sounds and bodily movement to socialise in the kindergarten group, both in terms of creating a sense of cohesion and being distinguished as individuals. The purpose is to investigate how the sounds children make affect the dynamics of social life in such groups of children.
Result
The results show that before young children can speak and use conventional words, they are able to develop a large repertoire of sounds, rhythms, bodily expressions and melodic elements in order to interact with peer children. Through this communicative musicality, they can balance between the need for cohesion and individualism.
Design
The data material is taken from video observations of groups of young children in two Norwegian kindergartens. A total of 15 children (eight boys and seven girls) between the ages of one and three were observed. The researcher observed and participated in the children’s activities for approximately one month in each kindergarten.
References
Nome, D. (2020). “Social life among toddlers in kindergarten as communicative musicality”. Psychology of Music, 48(4):598-608.