The children using the music bells and wooden keyboards. (The Washington Montessori School, Washington, D. C.)
Here, for instance, is a case of 4/4 time:
The children at first marked the time without regard to the measure, thus:
But the moment comes suddenly when they catch the measure: then they beat it as follows:
In other words, their beats fall only on the first note at the measure.
Maria Louise, a little under four years of age, was walking to the sound of a 2/4 march, played rather lightly. Suddenly she called to the teacher: "Regarde, regarde, comme je fais!" She was making little skips, gracefully raising her arms on the first beat of the measure. Her invention was extraordinarily happy and graceful.