Singing to become: the learning path of two siblings aged two and five years old when singing during family interactions

The early development of musical skills in children is deeply interwoven into social and emotional interactions within the family environment. This study explored the learning path of a two-year-old and a five-year-old and the role of the parents and – in particular – the siblings themselves in this process. We built on ecological systems theory and research on musical parenting to examine how informal musical interactions contribute to children’s communicative and cultural participation. The findings suggest that musical experiences within the family unit not only cultivate musical development but also emotional bonding and cognitive growth. Furthermore, sibling interactions provide a unique space for musical exploration, modelling and learning, further enriching early childhood musical development.