Infant musicking opportunities in home and school contexts: Insights for early childhood music education

This qualitative, cross-cultural study explored how families engage in musicking with infants across home and classroom contexts, focusing on the intersection of musical parenting and funds of knowledge in early childhood education. Conducted over fifteen weeks in Los Angeles, USA, and Nicosia, Cyprus, the study involved four infants and their parents participating in infant music classes. Using narrative inquiry and ethnographic methods, including classroom observations, parent-submitted diaries and artefacts and semi-structured interviews, the research explored how infants and their parents engaged in musicking across home and classroom contexts, focusing on the parental beliefs, motivations and cultural values that shape these musical interactions and routines. Findings highlight the role of parents as co-constructors of musical meaning, using music to nurture identity, emotional expression, social connection and developmental growth. The study illustrates how children internalize and adapt musical experiences, often transforming classroom songs into personalized, family-centred rituals. It also underscores the value of culturally responsive music education that bridges home and school through inclusive, relational practices. This research affirms that musical parenting and home-based cultural knowledge are vital pedagogical resources in early childhood music education.