Bells Music Signs And Notes
The notation half of the bells work: signs and notes in wooden boxes, used to write down what has been played and to play what has been written. Until this arrives, a child working with the bells is composing in sound only and nothing survives the session. With it, a melody found on Tuesday can be laid out, kept and returned to on Thursday, which is the point at which music starts behaving like language. Belongs with the bells rather than alone. Wooden boxes with the signs and notes, for ages 3 to 6.
“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, 'The children are now working as if I did not exist.'”
The Bells Music Signs And Notes kit transforms abstract musical concepts into concrete experiences through its 50 tactile pieces. Each note disc and symbol in the wooden storage box provides physical representation of musical notation, allowing children to manipulate quarter notes, half notes, and rests before attempting to write them.
- Recognition of basic note values (whole, half, quarter, eighth notes)
- Understanding of musical staff positions and pitch relationships
- Development of rhythmic pattern recognition and sequencing
- Coordination between visual symbols and auditory experiences
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This progression from concrete to abstract mirrors how children naturally learn - first experiencing music through movement and sound, then recognizing patterns visually through these wooden pieces, and finally understanding the symbolic language of written music. The organized compartments enable independent work, as children can select specific note values or symbols needed for their compositions. By handling these physical representations of rhythm and pitch, children build neural pathways connecting sound to symbol, preparing them for both music reading and mathematical fraction work that emerges in later years.
How to present it
Follow the Montessori method of presentation for optimal child development.
Place the wooden storage box on a low shelf at child's eye level. Ensure bells or other instruments are accessible nearby. Prepare a work mat or table with sufficient space for arranging pieces.
- 1
Begin with note value discs only, introducing whole notes and half notes
Use clapping or bells to demonstrate duration differences - 2
Add quarter notes, creating simple rhythm patterns on the mat
Let child 'read' patterns left to right by clapping or playing bells - 3
Introduce the staff components, placing notes at different heights
Connect high/low positions to high/low bell sounds - 4
Combine rhythm and pitch, creating simple melodies
Start with three-note patterns using familiar songs - 5
Add rests and other symbols gradually
Demonstrate silence dramatically with frozen movement
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