Music-based teaching strategies: a systematic review of their use in early childhood education / <i>Estrategias pedagógicas musicales: una revisión sistemática sobre su uso en educación infantil</i>

The use of musical elements in early childhood education plays a key role in structuring interactions and pedagogical activities. However, their study has been fragmented, especially in the first cycle of early childhood education (ages 0–3). This paper presents a systematic literature review (2000–24) following PRISMA 2020, analysing music-based teaching strategies, the predominant methodological approaches found in the literature and their implications in early childhood development. After screening 4,427 articles, the final sample encompasses just 26 studies, highlighting the dearth of research in the 0–3 years stage and the predominance of descriptive studies on the educational use of music. The results emphasize the use of music for structuring routines, designing specific programmes and promoting children’s participation. Although music fosters the cultural, emotional and creative expression of pupils, further research is needed on its actual implementation in the classroom and its impact on the quality of education and learning in early childhood.