When you hear an uplifting song, does your foot tap to the beat? Now try giving your young child a shaker or a couple pan lids and watch them shake, rattle and roll.  

Music is fun and entertaining for people of all ages. And for young children, it can be even more beneficial, acting as a calming mechanism, a memory device and a creative outlet. When we provide musical experiences to early learners, such as playing them songs from the Harmony & Heart• music collection, we help them build important social, emotional and cognitive brain connections, which helps them meet developmental milestones as they grow.  Music helps foster communication skills, vocabulary development, comprehension, creative self-expression and confidence in young children in a playful way. 

As children listen and sing words set to music and chant syllables in rhythm, they develop an ear for patterns in the music, which translates to recognizing the rhythm and patterns of sounds in words, phrases and sentences. This awareness not only aids memory, but also helps children hone their listening skills, sensing when to speed up, slow down, start and stop. And through music, children become more aware of mathematical and art patterns without realizing it. 

Making music at home

You don’t have to be a musician to enjoy music with your child. Here are some easy ways you can have fun making music with your child while nurturing their cognitive and social development. 

• Car singalongs: Sing the first line of a familiar song, like “The Wheels on the Bus.” Have your child sing the next line. Continue taking turns, perhaps even getting other family members involved. This activity not only builds verbal memory but also develops listening skills and concentration. Or, while singing a well-known song, replace the original words with new ones.
• Kitchen karaoke: While you’re cooking in the kitchen, play or sing a song and encourage your child to keep the beat using old pots and pans or plastic containers with lids. Get everyone involved with an old-fashioned family jam session! Grab some instruments or household items that make interesting sounds, such as pans and lids as cymbals, oatmeal boxes as drums, or paper-and-comb kazoos. Cue up some tunes then sing, dance and play!
• Song freeze: This game teaches your child careful listening and self-control. Play one of your child’s favorite songs and dance together. Stop the song at random. When the music stops, everyone must freeze. When the music starts, everyone can get back to grooving.

The benefits of music for young children last for life. When you infuse music into your child’s daily routine, you’ll notice the impact — now and, more importantly, in the future.

For more on why music is important for young children, check out these resources: 

• Immersing Your Child in the Joys and Benefits of Music! 
• Musical Milestones for Infants and Toddlers