ABSTRACT
Toddlers like to do all the things we call music and they do them of their own will, weaving them into their everyday play with the things and people around them. They spontaneously vocalise, sing, reproduce songs they have heard, play with words, dance, listen intently to sounds and music, respond to music played by others, find interesting sounds to make and organise their tapping or striking into regularities and patterns. This chapter will describe the nature of spontaneous musical play among toddlers-I have in mind roughly the age phase from one year to two and a half years old-and discuss the adult roles which fit with their play. The improvisational music-dance-game playing which we saw was so central to the carer-baby relationship continues on into toddlerhood and is an important influence on the adult role.
