Music and Movement

This course applies to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

This course will help you understand the importance of children creating, listening to, and moving to music. This course includes music and movement activities that are appropriate for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, including those with disabilities and developmental delays. Learn how to include the children’s families and cultures in meaningful ways, and discover the many educational, social, emotional, and physical benefits of incorporating music and movement into your program.

See the learning outcomes and topics below to learn more about what is covered in this course.

This course is also offered in Spanish.

Course formats

This course is offered in both our coursebook (with required online component/testing) and our fully online format. The online format of this course includes audio narration in most course sections. Click here to learn more about Care Courses' training formats.

Acceptance information

This course is accepted for child care professional development training requirements in most states and for the CDA credential and for CDA renewal training requirements.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, you will be able to explain how children of all ages benefit from music and movement, explain how to integrate music and movement in an early childhood setting, including how to teach early literacy and math skills, identify appropriate instruments, music, and movement activities for children, and explain how to create a diverse music and movement curriculum that involves children’s families and accommodates children with special needs.

Topics covered

• Creating a music and movement program for young children
• How music and movement activities can help meet the developmental needs of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers
• Ways to teach and encourage literacy and math skills through music and movement activities
• How to help children create their own instruments
• Examples of materials, styles, and activities that add variety and interest to music and movement curriculums
• Ideas for introducing children to a variety of music styles 
• Ways to encourage creativity in children through music and movement activities
• Considerations to keep in mind that benefit children with special needs
• Ways to incorporate families of the children in your program 
• Strategies for creating diverse music and movement curriculums
• Suggested activities, songs, rhymes, and materials to incorporate into your program
• Outdoor music and movement activities

Want to learn more? Read our blog: Who ate the cookies from the cookie jar? 

What our students say about Music and Movement

"I was able to complete my courses [Music and Movement and Early Childhood Environments: Learning Centers] and I did not have any issues. I liked the way the information was presented. I did take away some good ideas that I can implement in my classroom as well as some ideas I plan to present to my school director for future projects to enhance our playground. I was pleasantly surprised at the speed with which my course books arrived! Thank you for reaching out. Have a wonderful fall!" - Saint Leonard, Maryland

”Everything went great! I ordered a lot of your courses [Toilet Learning, Block Play, Music and Movement, Supporting Breastfeeding in Child Care and Understanding and Managing Allergies] for my childcare teachers and we all enjoyed the courses we took. I loved the new set up of the website, so much easier to navigate and the course content was very informative and helpful. We have been using your courses for many years and will continue to do so in the future. Keep adding new content!! Thank you again!” - Sugar Grove, Pennsylvania

"I have taken many of your courses [Preschoolers in Child Care, Days with Toddlers: Curriculum Planning for Ages 12–36 Months, and many more] and have always found them exceptional. I often recommend them to others. - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

"Thank you so much for your email! This is a prime example and one of the many perks in using Care Courses for our continuing education needs. ... Customer Service! Staying connected with your customers speaks volumes to me! The Intern that I ordered the courses [Block Play, Music and Movement] for is very much enjoying them as well as the increase in her knowledge of Early Childhood Education! I will be registering for courses soon for my annual continuing education requirement and will be suggesting your organization, once again, to all of my staff! Thank you for all that you and your organization do for your customers! - Dover, Delaware

"The Care Courses I took [Music and Movement, Block Play, and Great Days with Kids: Curriculum and Lesson Planning] were thorough and informative. I enjoyed the videos and liked seeing a certain topic play out in the classroom.- Chevy Chase, Maryland