Shaping Musical Possible Selves in the Early Years

This chapter, focusing on Early Years (age 0–5) contexts, explores the assertion that “how parents, educators, therapists, artists ‘see’ children as musical determines what experiences and opportunities they offer, what they encourage, foster and teach” (Young, Critical new perspectives in early childhood music—Young children engaging and learning through music. Routledge, 2018, p. 1). Accordingly, we discuss the ways in which musicality and manifold musical learning may be nurtured during the formative Early Years. We furthermore discuss the facilitation of inclusive play-based activities, singing, movement with music and creative exploration, considering how these approaches may be understood in relation to our proposed model of developing and sustaining manifold musical possible selves.