Music provides more than just a fun way to pass the time for children at daycares and at home. Daycares and schools are fast discovering that music enhances learning abilities for children while offering them a life-long appreciation for music. Here are some tips to help introduce your child to music:
- Provide your child with a collection of CDs or an iPod to play music in their room. This can include music you grew up with and age appropriate music from your own
- Play music in the car and sing along together.
- Buy music-focused toys such as keyboards, drums and things they can shake – if your nerves can handle it!
- Have music as a backdrop during everyday activities from cleaning to cooking dinner.
- Use music-making apps and computer software so kids can experiment making their own
- Play together as a band on home-made instruments or real instruments you might have at home.
As your kids develop an appreciation for music, you can also consider music lessons when they become older, ideally between the ages of 5 and 7. There are many benefits to music lessons for children including a positive effect on their learning abilities.
Children with music lessons or music in their lives tend to do better at developing reading skills. They also have an easier time with coordination skills. Life skills such as goal-setting and cooperation are also picked up especially when playing in bands or singing in choirs.
Children with music lessons also develop better focus and concentration which is very important for their schooling. Cooperation skills are also developed with the help of music. In fact, kids with music lessons do well in math and science because it can help them with reasoning and cognitive development. These are important skills for math and science and both of these subjects are carried right through their high school years.
From a social aspect music has also been shown to help kids get along better with others. Children who have music lessons tend to have higher self-esteem and are even more likely to go to college. That might be hard to imagine now as you look down at their little faces when you drop them off at daycare. However, every step that helps them grow will help them become well adjusted happy adults!
With these tips, you can enrich your child’s life through music. Disclaimer: We take no responsibility if your child ends up singing “Let it Go” on an endless loop!
