Book excerpt: Music is key to early childhood development and contributes to socialisation, speaking, motor skills and more. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Making Music is packed full of fun and accessible ideas for singing, creating instruments from recycled materials, exploring sounds and making music together. From making maracas, tambourines and rainsticks in the music workshop to beatboxing, singing, stomping and even writing rhythms, every activity uses easy-to-source equipment or no equipment at all. Whether you're a specialist music teacher or a non-specialist looking for inspiration, this book is perfect for anyone looking to put the magic back into music in their Early Years setting. Written by Early Years expert Judith Harries, all ideas include step-by-step instructions, tips to understand music terminology and suggestions for further development. With over 40 books in the 50 Fantastic Ideas series there's something for everyone – whether you're a practitioner looking for new ideas or you want to try out a popular well-loved activity with a new twist. Each book offers a wide range of fun and creative activities to carry out with children aged 0–5 years, with lists of resources, step-by-step instructions and information about the benefits for children.