Carnegie Hall’s Early Childhood Programs Reach Thousands Of Families Across The Globe This Season

Throughout the season, thousands of families with young children have opportunities to engage in free musical learning, play, discovery, and connection through early childhood programs created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute's (WMI). The suite of programs—which include the Lullaby Project and Big Note Little Note—play an important role in supporting the crucial development of children worldwide in their first three years of life. In addition, they use music to plant the seeds of deep, longstanding bonds between children and their caregivers.

Over the coming months, several free and low-cost events are offered at Carnegie Hall for families and children. From March 17–21 huddle returns, a beloved early childhood concert for babies and young toddlers ages 0–2. Written by composers Saskia Lane and Thomas Cabaniss and librettist Zoë Palmer, huddle follows animals fragile, fin, and hoof as they migrate through sky, water, and earth to find each other and make their own unique huddle. Along the way, families are invited to join the characters as they sing, move, play, and explore together in this highly interactive performance that invites babies and toddlers to be a part of the show. Registration opens on February 23 for free performances offered twice daily.

On Saturday, April 18 from 12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m., children ages 3–10 and their caregivers are invited to the Hall's Resnick Education Wing for an afternoon-long free open house, Family Day: Spring Fest. This highly interactive, playful day offers families a multitude of fun activities that celebrate the earth, nature, and all things spring. Highlights of Family Day include instrument building with Bash the Trash; group singing and storytelling with artists Skye Soto Steele and Juana Luna; interactive song and movement workshop with Lullula Music; hands-on opportunities to color and craft; lively mainstage performances featuring Martha Redbone, with ASL interpretation, and interactive dance performances by Erica Bowen of World Arts East; and more.

Heartwarming lullabies written by families around the world as part of Carnegie Hall's Lullaby Project are performed live on Saturday, May 30 at 3:00 p.m. as part of the program's annual Lullaby Project Celebration Concert. Audiences are invited to listen to these precious love songs performed by parents, musicians, and community partners in Zankel Hall. The concert will also be available for audiences to livestream on Carnegie Hall's YouTube channel.

New Research Study Explores Music's Critical Role in Childhood Development

“Why Making Music Matters Now” is a new research study commissioned by Carnegie Hall and written by researchers from WolfBrown that explores how music shapes the lives of young families. The publication draws on research and real-world examples that bring to life the many ways in which early musical activity promotes healthy brain and body development; emotional connections; caregiver's well-being; community support; and more. The study includes insights and action steps that artists, educators, health professionals, and policy makers can use to call on music as a low-cost, high-impact, joyful activity even amid today's challenges.

In addition to this new study, Carnegie Hall has commissioned other research papers by WolfBrown including Lullaby: Being Together, Being Well, and Making a Joyful Noise: The Potential Role of Music Making in the Well-Being of Young Families.

The Lullaby Project Celebrates 15 Years of Music-Making in December 2026

In December 2026, the Lullaby Project celebrates its 15th anniversary, now reaching more than 1,000 families annually through 70+ partnerships across the globe. Piloted at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, the Lullaby Project pairs new and expectant parents and caregivers with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies, supporting parental health and well-being, aiding child development, and strengthening the bond between parent and child. Partners in New York City, nationally, and across the globe reach families across healthcare, education, social service, and justice settings.

In New York City, the project will reach approximately 175 families this year through partnerships with several city and state agencies, including NYC Health + Hospitals, the NYC Department of Homeless Services, and the New York State Division of Veteran's Affairs. From September to June, Carnegie Hall teaching artists work with families across these community sites to write and sing personal lullabies, offering a creative opportunity to communicate feelings, hopes, and dreams for their child.

Since its inception more than 6,000 original lullabies have been written by families for their children as part of the Lullaby Project, hundreds of which are available for listening and sharing on Carnegie Hall's Lullaby SoundCloud page which currently has nearly 100,000 listens in more than 50 countries. At the end of the songwriting process, each parent receives a recording of their lullaby to listen to and sing with their baby to further support parent-child bonding and early childhood development. Throughout the year, approximately 15 select lullabies from local sites are professionally recorded by musicians and parents. Click here to watch a special video about the Lullaby Project.

Extending across the country and around the globe, the Lullaby Project enables more than 70 partner organizations to support families in the creation of new lullabies in a variety of models, adapting the program to best meet the needs of their community and families. Click here for a current list of Lullaby Project partners across the US and internationally in Canada, Europe, South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. The annual Lullaby Project international convening takes place at Carnegie Hall on May 28–30, providing professional development sessions for new and prospective partners led by expert teaching artists, consultants, and researchers.

Big Note, Little Note: An Early Childhood Program for Caregivers with Infants

Big Note, Little Note, a 10-week music class for New York City families, offers a range of experiences for parents and caregivers to engage with their babies through musical play, singing, instrument exploration, songwriting, and more. The program, offered at no cost, is centered around community and supports family well-being, early childhood development, and parent-child connection. Classes for caregivers and infants are being offered this winter and spring, in partnership with the Children's Storefront and the Brooklyn Public Library. A playlist with original songs inspired by the themes of the class is available on SoundCloud