Materials for making music in early childhood: The three sides of the triangle made up of training, innovation and research

This research emerged from a teacher-training programme implemented in seven early learning centres (0-3 years old) in a town in the province of Barcelona, Spain. Its goal was to make the school environment where young children's lives develop richer in musical experiences and communication. On taking stock of the progress made after one year it may be observed that the introduction and use of materials for making music in the classroom is the aspect of the programme that has made the most impact. A questionnaire was designed and validated; its purpose was to evaluate seven sets of materials that are representative of the training programme implemented in these centres. The results were very positive, especially as regards the items related to musical communication.