MUSIC HELPS MY CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT
According to Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner (1983), “Music intelligence is equal in importance to logical-mathematical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, spatial intelligence, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, interpersonal intelligence, and intrapersonal intelligence”. This is because music promotes all of those things. When we are engaged in music, whether listening, moving along with it, singing or playing an instrument, we engage all parts of the brain. Left, right, front and back. That’s because the act of making music is a creative and cognitive skill. The whole brain is working all at once, and the arts is the only skill that does this. Even listening to music can have this effect.
As a parent you have probably seen how children react to music. Most children love to dance, sing, sway to different rhythms. It can be used to calm children down, signal transitions, and as a creative expression. But music is much more. Music can aid in development by:
• Increasing children’s vocabularies
• Development of pre-reading skills
• Aids in development of math skills
• Enhance hand-eye coordination
• Assists in fine and gross motor skills
• Strengthen their social and emotional skills
• Musical development and appreciation.
WAYS MUSIC CAN ENHANCE LEARNING IN DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS:
LANGUAGE - Even before babies are able to talk, their babbling and sound-play helps them develop pathways in their brain necessary for listening and speaking. Children can easily and quickly mimic music and sounds they hear as an additional way to understand and make sense of the world around them. Songs help them learn the sounds and meanings of words. Music helps young children retain words and expressions much more effectively. The rhythm of the music, as well as the repetitive patterns within the song, help them memorize words. The child is also learning the concepts of loud and soft.
FINE AND GROSS MOTOR SKILLS -Making music and musical activities help build important connections in the child’s brain. Activities that include clapping, bouncing, tapping, and dancing will enhance fine and gross motor skills. Simple songs along with back-and-forth play can help build brain and body coordination. Motor skills related to the ability to move and synchronize different muscles and bones of the body like the hands and fingers help to accomplish routine and intricate tasks. All of these activities help build important connections across many regions of the developing childhood brain during this essential time of development.
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL: Children need emotional safety and security. They need to know that they are loved. They need examples of healthy emotional expression, so they can learn to express emotion themselves without fear of a negative response or rejection. This also ties into self-worth and confidence. Music has a way of creating a sense of belonging. Children who are singing songs together, or playing an instrument with their friends or family are gaining self-confidence. They feel a sense of connecting and acceptance. Music from different cultures allow the children to hear different accents and songs. If your family is bilingual, singing songs in your language is a wonderful way for your child to learn about their culture. Children build close relationships.
For example: when a parent or is singing a soothing song to an infant.
COGNATIVE DEVELOPMENT: The children are focusing on two things at once, singing and movement, that is developing their cognitive abilities and using their whole brain. Music is all based on counting. The children actively learn to keep time and a steady beat. This also enhances their math abilities.
Music is a key in the development of many vital skills needed for healthy development. Additional skills like empathy, spatial awareness, independence through solo work, and emotional development. It is important that parent you sing, dance and play a variety of music to your children. From infants to school age children, all the children in your care will benefit.