Studies show that listening to music beginning at an early age increases a child’s ability to express themselves uniquely, learn new things, and show feelings in an effective way over the course of their lives. Most children, by nature, love music. It’s a parent’s responsibility to nurture this love and to do whatever they can to incorporate music into their day to day life, so that they will promote healthy learning in the life of their child.
Play Activity-Appropriate Music All Day
Music doesn’t have to be designated to one part of the day. In fact, most children may find it annoying to abandon a task to listen to music, sing, or play an instrument — this is how learning music becomes a chore. Rather, a better tactic for using music to promote learning is to have it playing throughout the day. Try playing some upbeat music in the mornings to get your child’s mind going when things tend to drag. Play classical and soothing music during times of learning and before naps to promote a calmer environment where focus or relaxation is necessary. For family time in the afternoons and evenings, consider some fun age-appropriate tunes that they’ll enjoy jumping around to. Keeping music as a constant and intentional factor in your child’s day will keep music in a positive light and simultaneously promote healthy demeanor adjustments for activity transitions.
Change Songs Around
There’s just something about music… a catchy tune will stick in the minds of people of all ages, sometimes annoyingly. Why not take advantage of this by using the catchiest tunes to help your child learn? For example, for younger children, take a favorite nursery rhyme and change the words to reflect something that they’re learning in pre-school or kindergarten – colors, numbers, shapes. For elementary aged kids, consider using a popular song that they love to help them learn things that tend to be tedious otherwise – multiplication tables, states and capitals, the names of all of the Presidents. Your child will have fun learning to music, and the method should prove to be an effective one.
Use Music as a Gateway to Learn About Other Cultures
Music is so different throughout the world. Different cultures certainly have different traditions, different trends, different methods of making music. Each is unique and can be admired in its own regard. A child with interest in music, if given the opportunity, would enjoy learning about the varying styles and origins of different music. Parents would be remiss to not take the regular opportunity of introducing their child to music from around the world, and using that moment of interest as an explanation for some other events in the culture of origin. Try this: Once a week, sit down with your 6-year-old and play him or her a song from a different county – celtic music, for example – and teach them about where it comes from, the instruments involved, and the history behind it. You’d be surprised how music can really pull in the ears of children and open up a great opportunity for learning.
Music is such a wonderful tool to promote learning; being intentional about using it throughout the day, using it to help with memorization, and using it to help educate on other cultures and nations are all wise ways to take advantage of it.
