Can you teach a 4 or a 5 year old the difference between a quarter note and a half note and how that sounds and feels? I think so. I use sand blocks. Two quarter notes - clap the blocks together twice and say "one, one" as you do each clap. Half note - clap together on "one" and slide as if you are sanding once on "two." Dotted half note - clap together on "one" and slide up for "two" and slide back down for "three."
I better make a Youtube video of this idea.
It's hard to explain with just words! It's fun, and most children catch on. They really like the whole note where we clap on "one" and slide the blocks back and forth when we say "two" "three" "four." I explain we only clap on the word "one" and slide on the additional beats in a note.
