WHAT DOES MUSIC DO FOR THE CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT?

Here’s what music does for our children:

1. Music ignites all areas of child development and skills for school readiness, including intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language, and overall literacy.  It helps the body and the mind work together.  Exposing children to music during early development helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words.
2. Music instruction appears to accelerate brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception and reading skills, according to initial results of a five-year study by USC neuroscientists.
3. Music helps toddlers build coordination.
4. Music encourages children’s inclination to move, developing their fine motor skills and gross motor skills.  Plus, if the rhythm is very entertaining, you may even notice toddlers starting to jump up and down, which helps them with their muscle development, strength and balance.
5. Music is a natural for capturing kids’ attention and imagination and as it turns out, it has a huge impact on your child’s body and mind.  Dancing, listening and playing to a beat can shift a child’s mood, help them cooperate and express emotions.
6. Listening to and creating music helps children learn numeracy, literacy and emotional skills.  Incorporating music into routines and play in the early years has a positive influence on the child’s early development.   It can get them moving, thinking and inspire creativity.
7. Rhyming helps babies and children learn about words, sounds and language formation.  Hearing and using rhyme, rhythm and repetition helps children develop early literacy skills. The repetition of words, ideas and skills is important for early brain development, as it creates secure foundations for early learning.
8. Singing encourages a child to express their emotions and sharpens their ability to communicate, while exercising lip and tongue movement. But one of the biggest benefits of singing is the repeated use of the ‘memory muscle’.  As children get older, the power of singing in their lives can still be extremely beneficial.
9. Music plays an important role in the socialization of children.   Research on popular music has explored its effects on schoolwork, social interactions, mood and affect, and particularly behavior.
10. From birth, parents instinctively should use music to calm and soothe children, to express love and joy, and to engage and interact.  Parents and teachers can help build on these natural instincts by learning how music can impact child development, improve social skills, and benefit children of all ages.

Singing and music play an important role in our culture.  You’ll find music present in many aspects of our lives: theater, television, movies, worship, holidays, celebrations, and government and military ceremonies. At home, music can become part of our family cultures—a natural part of our everyday experiences.