Why Music Is Important For Child Development
The power of music is not something that should be underestimated! Creating an environment filled with musical experiences is an amazing way to help nurture your child’s growth and development.
Although music is a major part of our everyday lives, the question remains, why is music so important for child development?
The truth is that music can help in so many different ways. From pattern recognition to language development, the benefits are truly endless.
8 Reasons Why Music Is Important For Child Development
Incorporating more musical experiences into your child’s life is a great way to improve many areas of development! Here are some of the main reasons why music is important for children!
1. Auditory Perception
Simply put, auditory perception is how the brain interprets the information it is receiving from the ears.
This is actually a vital part of literacy and language development. Children who lack proper auditory perception often confuse words that sound similar and have difficulty distinguishing the different sounds within a word.
Incorporating classic songs like Old MacDonald or Itsy Bitsy Spider is a great way to help children learn to differentiate the various sounds within a word and make connections about the meaning of those words.
2. Language Development
Singing and dancing to fun songs is a great way to help improve your child’s language development.
Since songs tend to be very repetitive with their words, children have an easy time learning new vocabulary. Research actually shows that children who have a larger vocabulary are more proficient in reading and perform better academically.
During playtime, listen to songs like Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes to help your child better understand the meaning behind words.
3. Cognitive Development
Exposing your child to music at a young age has been shown through research to improve a child’s cognitive development.
Music is a well-known way to activate the prefrontal cortex which is linked to important skills like planning, memory, and flexibility.
One study showed that children who took part in a 2-year school-based musical program had significantly better auditory and visual memory than children who did not receive any musical education.
4. Motor Skills Development
Whether children are using their little fingers to play the piano, or jumping up and down to a song, interacting with music is a great way to help your child develop those important fine and gross motor skills.
A big research study published by The Journal of Neuroscience showed that children who started learning an instrument before the age of 7 had stronger connections between the motor and sensory regions of the brain. These children ended up having better coordination and more accurate timing compared to those children who did not learn an instrument.
5. Self-Expression
A great benefit of music for children is that it offers a safe place for self-expression.
Singing, dancing, and interacting with the musical world are all great ways to help children explore their creativity and express themselves in a way they might not be able to verbally.
6. Pattern Learning
A very important early math skill during child development is the ability to learn and follow different patterns.
As children listen to music or play an instrument, they begin to understand regular and irregular rhythms. Learning about these patterns helps children make predictions about what will come next and form logical connections.
The simple act of learning about patterns will help your child both academically and socially as they can more easily predict and analyze their environment and surroundings.
7. Improved Listening Skills
Children who have well-developed listening skills tend to be more successful in areas of communication, comprehension, and attentiveness.
Try incorporating more songs where children have to act out the meaning of the lyrics. Playing songs like If You’re Happy and You Know It is a fun and engaging way to help improve a child’s listening and language skills.
When children have a better understanding of words and their meanings, they feel more confident in their abilities to socialize which leads to a sense of belongingness.
8. Music Is Therapeutic!
Listening, making, and dancing to music is a happy mood-lifting experience for many children!
Many research studies are starting to surface about the positive effects music has on the physical body. Simply singing a lullaby to your baby has been proven to reduce stress and lower their heart rate.
Given the stress of today’s society, it is important to encourage your child to participate in fun musical experiences.
Remember…
Children learn and develop the most when they are playing and having a good time!
By simply playing music or supplying instruments, you are providing your child with so many amazing benefits.
I hope you now have a better understanding of why music is important for child development!
