Invitation to Explore Black History Music with a Record Player

With so many musicians to honor for #blackhistorymonth a great way to celebrate decades of influential music is showcasing their art. Whether it is Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, The Jackson 5, Kendrick Lamar, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, A Tribe Called Quest or the Isley Brothers, there are decades of music to explore. Their voices and songs changed the world throughout so many genres.

There is no denying the importance of music in education. Music supports and ignites all areas of child development. Including but not limited to intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy. The more a child is exposed to early on the more they are able to learn the sounds and meaning of words.

If you happen to have a record player you can also teach children what it is, how it plays music, and listen to some tunes while talking about the artists. After you can set up a process art invitation. You will need paper plates, Colorations markers, and a record player. Poke a whole in the paper plate, place it on the record, have the stylus placed on the edge, and let the paper plate spin while the child colors designs with the marker.

Little fun fact, Stevie Wonder is a staple in our household. From being my husbands childhood hero, to the song he asked me to be his girlfriend to seven years ago (For Once in My Life), and our wedding song (Overjoyed), his music has been monumental in our lives.