RICHIE MCFARLAND CHILDREN’S CENTER

11 Sandy Point Road

Stratham, NH  03885

(603) 778-8193

www.richiemcfarland.org          

Music Appreciation

 

Although there are no studies directly linking early exposure to music to long-term intellectual gain, research does show that all areas of childhood development are affected by exposure to music—intellectual, emotional, motor, language and overall literacy.

 

Music allows children to interact with others in intimate and joyful ways. It develops imagination, invention, creative thinking and communication skills. Singing a lullaby at bedtime or caroling at the holidays creates a sense of connection and a way to share stories and melodies from generation to generation.  It is also a way for children to connect to their heritage.

 

Intellectually, music can increase listening skills, memory and concentration, as when a child learns to repeat the words of a song.

 

Music also aids in the acquisition of early language skills. Most children can sing every word of the Alphabet Song before they can identify a single letter. Through sequences in songs, they learn about the sequences and patterns of language in general. 

 

Motor skills are developed and strengthened when hand and body movements are combined with music, such as clapping, stomping and dancing.

 

Parents and caregivers can give young children the benefit of music regardless of their own ability to carry a tune or play an instrument.  In fact, trying to meet standards of musical performance can be a hindrance to children’s enjoyment of music.

 

In her book Good Music, Brighter Children, Sharlene Habermeyer suggests playing classical music for children.  She says that most children prefer orchestral works to single-instrument selections and fast, lively pieces to slow, sedate music.  Her suggestions include “Classics for Children,” Boston Pops, Arthur Fiedler; “Carnival of the Animals” by Camille Saint-Saens; “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev; and “The Nutcracker” by Tchaikovsky.

 

The following are age-appropriate suggestions for sharing music with children.

 

Age birth to nine months

 

Babies are adept at picking up on familiar voices and sounds.  They prefer the sounds of their parents’ voices. They actively seek out quiet, high-pitched and rhythmic human voices.  They will imitate sounds they hear and respond to music by making eye contact when sung to, and moving their arms and legs.  They will typically look away or turn their heads when they need a break from the music.

 

Encourage infants to make their own music by experimenting with rattles and bells.  Create instruments with household objects such as pots, pans, and plastic tubs.  Sing to your baby, even before it is born.  Accompany rhythmic songs with hand clapping or drumming.  Act out songs with hand and body movements as in the “Itsy-Bitsy Spider” with your hands showing the spider crawling up and the rain falling down.

 

Age nine to eighteen months

 

Children at this age may begin to move with the beat of music.  Sing-a-longs are very popular at this age and help children to connect with one another.  Making music with their voices and objects builds confidence in children.  They are able to see a direct (and usually pleasing) result from their musical efforts. Young children may sing as they play and create or imitate musical patterns such as “doo da, doo da”.

 

Provide young children with musical instruments such as xylophones, drums and tambourines, as well as homemade objects that make noise. Use music to help make children feel secure in unfamiliar settings.  A familiar song can be as comforting as a special blanket or stuffed toy. Pre-walkers can be held by a caregiver who dances around the room; walkers can join in the dance by imitating moves, inventing their own, or dancing hand-in-hand with a partner.

 

Age eighteen to thirty-six months

 

Many children at this age will turn anything into a song.  Others prefer using instruments.  Collaboration between the singers and the players develops important social skills as children learn to work together and build friendships. As children learn to repeat the words of a song, they are building their memory skills. They will also associate specific songs with specific activities.

 

Use music to make everyday activities more fun, such as brushing teeth or getting dressed.  Make up songs to help the activity along, or play a rousing march in the morning to keep toddlers focused on the task at hand.  Give children scarves, feathers or ribbons to make their dances more creative.

 

Encourage creativity by creating new lyrics for familiar songs (“Pop Goes the Pizza!” or “The Itsy-Bitsy Monkey!”). 

 

For those parents and caregivers who need a little more help figuring out where to begin, Kindermusik offers music and movement programs for children ages birth to seven years.  The classes involve both the parents and children and offer materials to take home.  Their website is www.kindermusik.com or they can be reached at 800-628-5687.

 

For more information about music and childhood development, contact Zero To Three at www.zerotothree.org or the National Association for the Education of Young Children at www.naeyc.org.

 

For questions or comments about this or other Parenting columns, contact Peggy Small-Porter at the Richie McFarland Children’s Center at psmallporter@richiemcfarland.org.

- Published on January 2003