The simplest example is when one child teaches another Heart and Soul so that they can play it as a duet that goes on and on: the chords are C Am F G ad infinitum. My hunch is that sometime later on, it would be pretty easy to teach one of these children to identify chords I V VI and IV, Major and Minor, (see thread about Ear training How? WHY? for some related discussion).

It strikes me that this is a very cheap tool, you plant a seed and they teach each other, coming up with rhythmic variations, transpositions etc.

Do you plant these kind of cultural seeds? Do you invent your own that may be taken on by children? Have you examples of this being a positive influence in your studio? I'm interested in things that kids do with each other that is not directly from formal lessons, and is not supervised by adults; the musical culture of children if you like.

It reminds me of my mother who used to say "I think it's time for some Proper Practice now. That's enough mucking around". When I look back, I wonder if playing around with non-lesson material with friends was an important part of why I have retained music in my life. Does anyone relate to this train of thought?

In my opinion (and do feel free to disagree with it!) the mucking around is where most of the musicianship skills are developed, and there should be much more mucking around in every child's practice.

[For Australian teachers - P Plate Piano is completely oriented around the mucking around!]