20% increase in sales of outdoor musical instruments to schools
In celebration of Outdoor Classroom Day today (November 3rd), Percussion Play, the world’s leading manufacturer of outdoor musical instruments, announces that it has experienced a 20% increase in sales has its instruments in schools across the UK compared to last year.
Classrooms have become more diverse during the Covid-19 pandemic and many teachers have moved lessons outdoors, but many are now recognizing the benefits of teaching outdoors for children.
By combining music and the “great outdoors,” Percussion Play believes its instruments can help create fun and laughter and facilitate learning.
An independent school and nursery based in Preston have taken an innovative approach to teaching by installing a variety of outdoor musical instruments on their grounds. With a philosophy based on outdoor learning,
, students at Ashbridge Independent School & Nursery are now making music while having fun and learning.The forestry school’s students aged 0 to 11 take part in music lessons on instruments in their free time and have fun with their peers.
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The school uses the new outdoor music room across the curriculum, with students using and exploring music to make natural connections with mathematics, science, reading, writing and performing arts.
Principal Graf comments on the impact these tools have had on her students; “If I had to sum up the effect in one word it would be: curiosity. Watching children play and then learning how this tool works gives me great pride. Since installing these tools, we have also seen a reduction in the number of disciplinary issues. I think this is mainly because they keep the children busy learning during breaks when they don’t even know they are still learning.The tools benefit both our students and our teachers! »
Percussion Playing musical instruments can support a child’s musical education and promote individual and collective participation, especially instruments such as duo, which can encourage children with learning difficulties to play together.
In the United Kingdom, researchers found that children who were trained in the performance or appreciation of music scored 63 points higher in verbal skills and 44 points higher in math skills on SAT tests.
Exposure to music from a young age, especially in school or kindergarten, has been proven to promote teamwork, self-confidence, empathy, better communication skills and intellectual curiosity, and to nurture people who have had the opportunity to develop these skills and behaviors As a result, they often turn out to be happier, healthier, and more successful adults earlier in their lives than those who are not. For these reasons, it is fair to say that promoting music education programs
in schools and children’s access to musical instruments would bring significant benefits not only to individuals but to society as a whole.
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Mary Luehrsen, executive director of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, says that a “rich musical experience” has “huge benefits for children as they move toward more formal education,” and Luehrsen’s observation is supported by numerous studies show that contact with music and playing musical instruments has a positive effect on the social, linguistic and behavioral development of the child.
Introducing music studies from early childhood also encourages a positive approach to learning and encourages craft skills as students learn to produce high quality, above average work. This then carries over into other aspects of their academic work and life in general, encouraging ambition and personal development.
Jody Ashfield, founder and CEO of Percussion Play, said: “Every year we promote Outdoor Classroom Day and every year we see more and more schools across the UK promoting outdoor music. As a global leader in outdoor musical instruments, our goal is to support outdoor learning and play and encourage students to get outside and make music.
You can read more research on the benefits of outdoor music in educational settings here.