Tuneful Chatter

Tuneful Chatter uses proven approaches to improving very young children’s communication, language and social skills. Music, dance and drama specialists design programmes of early years provision enabling under-fives to take part with others in a safe environment.

Key findings from the first three years of delivery

Children’s development Developmental tracking showed improvement across Communication and Language and Personal, Social and Emotional Development in line with the Birth to 5 Matters Framework. The proportion of children assessed as “on track” increased, while the proportion experiencing significant developmental delay reduced. Qualitative evidence supported these findings. Practitioners reported increased participation, listening, turn-taking and social interaction. Children described enjoying imaginative play and valued being able to participate in their own way. 

Adult behaviour as the mechanism of impact

The most consistent pattern across the evaluation is that the programme changed adult behaviour. Parents and guardians reported increased confidence communicating, playing and responding to their child, and described continuing activities at home. Practitioners incorporated interaction-focused creative approaches into everyday provision. As a result, children experienced more opportunities for communication and shared attention beyond the sessions themselves. The programme therefore influenced development not only through direct participation, but through changing everyday adult-child interaction by empowering parents/guardians as their child’s first teacher thus improving the child’s home learning environment.

Parents/Guardians and families

Feedback from parents and guardians indicates that participation in Tuneful Chatter was associated with increased confidence in interacting with their child and a stronger understanding of the developmental importance of play. Parents and guardians described communicating more frequently with their children and incorporating shared activities such as songs, games and conversation into everyday routines at home. The sessions also operated as informal social support spaces. Families reported reduced isolation and the development of peer connections with other parents/guardians, which was particularly significant for those whose early parenting experience had been shaped by pandemic-related restrictions. 

Practitioner learning

Professional learning occurred primarily through shared delivery rather than formal training. Practitioners observed artists working with children and applied the same approaches in their own settings. Creative approaches became embedded within routine provision rather than remaining external activities. Artists also developed early years expertise, including around speech and language development, and continued applying these approaches in other contexts.

Accessibility and engagement

Engagement was strongest where provision was free, local and delivered in familiar settings. Outreach sessions reached families unlikely to attend cultural venues independently. Venue-based activity was more difficult to access where travel, childcare and routine pressures were barriers.

Cultural participation and dissemination

The programme introduced new families to cultural venues and early years performances, with many first-time visitors recorded. Dissemination activity also reached practitioners and partners through conferences, professional development and research engagement. 

System and organisational impact

The programme influenced local service structures as well as individual participants. Cultural organisations became recognised partners in early years development, collaboration with the local authority strengthened and the work informed local strategic planning and partnership networks. This indicates the programme functioned as capacity-building within the early years system rather than solely as a time-limited project. 

Read the full reports here!

Click here to read the Summary Tuneful Chatter Report written by Sheffield Hallam University

Click here to read the Full Tuneful Chatter Final Report written by Sheffield Hallam University

Tuneful Chatter Data – Additional sheet showing Tuneful Chatter attendance by relative deprivation

Get Involved!

Bring your children, aged 0 – 5, to take part in playful arts activities with Tuneful Chatter at The Point or at your local Family Hub.

Sessions at The Point (DN1 2DR), Fridays 10.30am – 11.30am
Tuneful Chatter is designed for children aged 0-5. Older siblings can attend where necessary but please encourage these children to support the younger children’s play and be cautious of babies in the room. Donations are very welcome. If you have any questions, please email us at sophie@wearedarts.org.uk

Sessions at Edlington Family Hub (DN12 1PL), Thursdays 1.30 – 2.30pm

Sessions are free to attend and run during term time.

You do not need to book a place to attend these sessions, you are very welcome to drop in. If the session ever becomes too full, we will use a first come, first served system to keep the number of people in the room at a reasonable level. Please note, there is a maximum of 2 adult places per child. Children must be accompanied by their parents/ carers throughout the session.

Resources – things to do at home, in school, nurseries and family hubs

We’ve created a range of resources for you to use at home or at school with little ones, each one focusing on a different skill or area of development. Click here to find the Tuneful Chatter Resources Page. 

Tuneful Chatter Early Years Resources

Take a peek at the Tuneful Chatter programme in our film below.

Our Tuneful Chatter at Edlington Family Hub sessions are currently kindly funded by Masonic Charitable Foundation and 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust.