Music is powerful! Has a song ever brought up a memory, a specific place, time, or experience? Has music ever inspired you or made an ordinary experience more enjoyable? Music is an important part of our culture and musical activities often occur throughout childhood. Music is not only something we enjoy, but it is a powerful tool for learning.
How Music Supports Child Development:
- Musical activities and experiences support children’s learning and promote children’s development in several areas including: socio-emotional skills, physical/motor skills, thinking/cognitive skills, and language and literacy skills. Some children may attend to music more than others, and we can use music as a motivating way to teach and practice new skills.
Let’s discuss specific ways music supports each of these developmental areas!
Note: The points below summarize ideas found in a parenting resource by Zero to Three. For more information, check out the full article here: https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/1514-beyond-twinkle-twinkle-using-music-with-infants-and-toddlers
Socio-emotional skills
Oftentimes, music is experienced in a group or social setting. As such, musical activities such as singing, dancing and playing instruments with others can foster social and emotional skill development.
- Have you used a lullaby to soothe a child? Or played calm music to help a child calm down after a busy day? These actions support the development of self-regulation – in which children adjust their emotions to different circumstances.
- Being able to shake a rattle or bang a drum may increase a child’s self-esteem or self-confidence.
- Many musical activities involve turn-taking – children may take turns playing different instruments by passing them around; they may sing ‘call and response’ songs taking turns listening and singing. Music can help children build connections and relationships.
- Do you enjoy familiar rhymes, musical styles or songs from your home culture? Engaging children in cultural musical activities can encourage community and cultural awareness of one’s culture and language. Encouraging music in a child’s home language supports dual language development as well.
- Certain songs encourage understanding of emotions and feelings (e.g., If you’re happy and you know it).
Physical/motor skills
- Children practice motor movements when dancing and making actions to songs.
- They also learn body awareness, coordination, and balance as they try different movements and try to copy others around them.
Thinking/cognitive skills
- Music provides a fun medium to learn and practice different concepts through rhyming and rhythm. For example, many songs incorporate counting and patterns.
- Children often remember music. When children hear the same song around a certain time (e.g., nap time), they may start to associate the song with the experience.
- Have you used puppets or pretend objects when singing with a child? These activities can encourage pretend play development by learning how one object represents another.
Language/literacy skills
- Music is an easy way for children to practice speaking and learn the meanings of words.
- Music supports a concept called ‘phonemic awareness’ which refers to our ability yo recognize and use different sounds. For example, being able to hear the 3 sounds in the word ‘c-a-t’ demonstrates we can distinguish these sounds. Phonemic awareness is crucial for literacy development. The rhyming component of music supports the development of phonemic awareness.
Here are 5 simple ways to build early literacy skills at home!
As you can see, music has many positive influences on children’s development! Are there specific songs or musical activities your child enjoys?
