More On Music
Music affects every aspect of a growing child’s development; physical, emotional, social, intellectual. Music builds language and encourages word expression. It increases vocabulary, counting, creativity, and concentration.
- Music helps children (and adults) regulate mood and emotion. It sets our pace and internal rhythm. It can speed us up or calm us down. This is why lullabies work well at bedtime!
- In utero a fetus can hear their mom’s heart beat and is calmed by listening to her voice. Brain research has shown that babies can hear and remember music they frequently listened to when they were in the Womb! They also recognize the sound of their mother’s voice and other family members who were present during the pregnancy!
- When children listen and participate in music it works synapses (connections) from all over the brain. It’s a whole brain work out! Music strengthens the connections between the left and right hemispheres of the brain – which also helps in coordination and efficiency.
- Dancing improves sensory integration while building large motor skills and coordination while playing an instrument (even simple ones like banging a pot or box) builds fine motor and rhythmic skills.
- Music stimulates language development in small children. Repeating a song multiple times allows continued brain growth and sound pattern recognition that is needed for proper speech development.
Make Music a Family Activity:
- Use active songs for a family work out: How fast can you play Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes? Play fast tempo music during clean up and make it into a family race. Play slow music during calm down time and rock on a chair. Encourage older children to write a song about a life event.
- Music can help motivate children to complete challenging tasks. Try searching for a cleanup song to use as your child is picking up toys or washing their hands.
- Use common tunes and fill in your own words for a creative twist: “This is the way Nate washes his hands…” “This is the way Lexi eats her peas….”