Education

Designed to withstand the elements, our outdoor musical instruments help create learning environments that support young children’s health, wellbeing, development, and creativity. Children love discovering that music can happen anywhere – not just in the classroom. And thanks to clever design and the use of the pentatonic scale, the instruments are incredibly easy to play. This allows children to explore sound and develop musical skills without needing to master technical complexities, revealing instantly what can be expressed and achieved through music.

In a free-play setting, where there are no wrong notes, these experiences can spark a life-long love of music and music-making. We believe creativity, imagination, and discovery should be actively encouraged in music education, and through hands-on, participative learning, children’s musical self-expression, confidence, and self-esteem naturally grow.

Being outdoors gives children genuine freedom of musical expression. It encourages experimentation, flexibility and the simple joy of ‘having a go’. Most importantly, children come to understand the pleasure of making and enjoying music together.

When musical instruments are used in the playground alongside games and movement, children are introduced to essential musical building blocks, helping them become confident, rounded musicians:

• Pulse: The steady beat that continues at the same speed throughout a piece of music
• Rhythm: How the beat is divided into longer or shorter notes
• Pitch: Notes moving higher and lower
• Improvisation: The ability to invent and play your own music
• Co-ordination: Bringing the physical, technical, and musical aspects together
• Expression: Identifying and conveying emotional content

Percussion Play produces a wide range of outdoor musical instruments suitable for school playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, sensory gardens, and performance areas.