When Saint-Saëns’ Elephant Becomes a Child’s Raindrops: Korean Young Children’s Appreciation of Music through Drawings

The aim of this study was to investigate the understanding and reactions of Korean young children to music through analysis of their drawings and the accompanying explanations they present while listening to a musical piece ‘The Elephant’ from ‘The Carnival of the Animals’ by Saint-Saëns. Drawings and explanations from 36 six-year-olds were analyzed, revealing three distinct categories: a) expression of emotions evoked by the music, b) representation of music focusing on musical elements such as tempo, dynamics, rhythm, and timbre, and c) depiction of musical changes through storytelling. These findings underscore young children’s capacity for diverse musical interpretations and responses, independent of prior knowledge, prompting reflection among early childhood educators on the purpose and delivery of music education for young children.