Music is a necessity to a childs well being. Babies move and sway. Toddlers clap and stamp their feet. Preschoolers sing and dance. Musical experiences, besides being fun, contribute to children’s cognitive, social/emotional and physical growth. We’re not saying that listening to Mozart will make your child a genius. But adding musical experiences to your child’s life will help bolster all of his learning. The American researchers Rauscher and Shaw showed there are strong correlations between musical experiences and increased mathematical skills and abstract reasoning. Other studies have shown that by learning new words, rhymes and rhythms, children improve long term verbal memory and language development. Socially, children learn to interact with others through music. They develop self esteem and confidence when mastering new songs and dances. They express themselves through the different emotions they feel. Physically, children use their eyes and ears as well as their small and large muscles. The body and the mind work in tandem. As you can see, musical experiences will help your child succeed in the world. At home there are many opportunities for you to explore music with your child. Infants love to listen to soft melodic singing. They are able to recognize melodies before they understand the words. When they are physically able, they will even try to copy the sounds you make and move to the beat of the music. Lullabies and quiet music soothe babies. Sing short simple tunes to your infant in a high pitch soft voice. Sing and dance with your toddler. Use lots of repetition. Get silly. Make up your own special songs. Toddlers love to hear songs about what they are doing at the moment, especially when the song uses their name. Singing also helps at transition times, such as when you need to put away toys or get ready to go outside. Many preschoolers are adept at carrying a tune. And they love to sing. They too like lots of repetition and songs that have strong rhythms. Preschoolers love songs with actions. Bang on those pots and pans. Use paper plates and empty oatmeal containers to make your own tambourines and drums. Then have a parade. Outside of the home, there are a number of quality music programs geared specifically for young children. We especially like ‘Music Together’, a program that involves infants through kindergarteners and their caregivers. Here are some websites to check out naeyc.org/content/music pbs.org/parents/education/music-arts/the-benefits-of-music-education/ musictogether/AboutUs
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 14:00:00 +0000
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