The Importance of Music for Children

The Importance of Music for Children

Experts agree that music can strengthen children's minds and serve as a fundamental skill of learning. Music develops children's sense of patterning and memory skills. Some say music "nourishes children's brains". Music stimulates brain connections and can actually make children smarter.

How to add the element of music to your child's life:

1. Play a variety of music in the background when your child is playing.
2. Encourage your child to move to the beat of music and dance with them.
3. Introduce simple instruments to your child such as a play guitar or harmonica.
4. Show your child how to make their own instruments such as simple drums and shakers.
5. Teach your child simple children's songs such as "Eensy, Weensy Spider" and "Mary Had A Little Lamb".
6. Show your child how to keep time to the beat of music through clapping and tapping.
7. Help your child make up their own songs by adding new words to familiar tunes.
8. Sing songs to and with your child.
9. Attend concerts - children's symphony concerts or community concerts in the park.
10. Enroll in children's music programs.

How to keep your child from listening to music you find inappropriate:

Monitor your children's music the same way you supervise their use of television, videos, and the Internet. It has been proven that the actual sound of music has more impact than the lyrics. One study's results showed that kids who listened to heavy-metal music, no matter what the lyrics, displayed negative attitudes and were more angry than those kids who listened to easy-listening music. We all use music for "mood management" and parents who are involved in their children's media choices have a great impact on taming its potentially destructive effects.

1. Stay involved. Listen to your child's music choices with them. If you find something objectionable, clearly explain to them in specifics why you're concerned.
2. Make sure the rules apply to everyone. Young children are often exposed to music that may not be appropriate for their ears through older siblings.
3. Share your favorite selections with your child — and make an effort to appreciate their music. Encouraging your child to explore different kinds of music is likely to benefit them in many ways. Research shows that children whose parents introduce them to, and encourage them to listen to, a variety of music do better in school.

Info. from www.parentcenter.com and www.preschoolexpress.com