Romp n' Roll Pittsburgh Blog
All children have the potential to be musical. Incorporating music into routines and play in the early years of your child’s life will have a positive influence on their development. It can get them moving, thinking, dancing, and it inspires creativity! Music is an essential part of early learning in children. And most importantly, music is fun!
Benefits of Music
1. Helps improve brain power
Incorporating music in early education is fun for kids, but that's not the only benefit! Studies suggest that experiences with music in the first few years of a child's life can speed up their brain development. Music ignites all areas of child development, including memory, intellectual, motor, language, and overall literacy skills. Exposing children to music during the early developmental stages helps them learn the sounds and meanings of words.
Music is one of the few activities that uses both the logic and creative sides of the brain. In the human brain, the temporal lobe, or our language-learning center, is the very same area that processes music when we hear it! Young children learn to recognize the musical aspects of a language before they can even process specific words. So having a good ear for music is sure to help them learn a language, a great life skill!
2. Helps develop social skills
Beyond academic advantages, the benefits of music for young children include social-emotional development. Incorporating music in early childhood gives kids a great foundation as they enter the social world. A great way for children to practice healthy socialization is to play a musical instrument in the school band or join a chorus group. Through this, children will meet new friends, learn how to work in a team, acquire leadership skills, and receive rewards and achievements. When it comes time to step out onto the playground, young musical minds are far better equipped to learn new games and socialize with friends!
3. Helps build their confidence
Is your child having trouble with confidence? Learning how to play a musical instrument may help a lot. Realizing she can learn to develop a skill on her own will give her the confidence boost and self-belief she deserves. Her progressions with time will provide her with even more confidence in her abilities. Confidence is a valuable skill that can be transferred later on in life, so it's a great idea to start now.
4. Helps build coordination
While activities like painting or drawing can help improve your child’s motor skills, music activities can also help kids build coordination. Learning to play instruments requires concentration, intricate finger motions, and hand-eye coordination. You may have noticed your child dancing to certain songs or listening to certain genres of music more than others. Even if your child doesn't understand the lyrics to a song yet, they definitely know how to move to the rhythm of the music!
Fun Ways to Encourage Musical Interest
Now that you know the benefits of music for children, encourage your child’s musical interests by making it a part of your family culture!
Incorporate music into your daily routine
Get a home karaoke machine and sing some classic tunes with your kids. Or, teach your kids some songs to add to their routines, such as brushing their teeth or making their bed. You can also take them on a musical tour around the neighborhood!
Show interest in your child's musical pursuits
Ask them questions about their favorite singer or band. Or what their new favorite song is! Ask them to teach you a new rhythm they learned. By asking questions, you open the door for your child to connect with you, and in turn, show them the value you place on music.
Attend musical performances together
You don't need to shell out tons of money to attend high-quality shows. Scan your newspaper for local music events in your area. You may be surprised at the number of free, family-friendly concerts that are available.
Let Your Child's Interests Be Your Guide
Besides sports and education, your child’s life should involve other exciting activities. If you're thinking about adding some productive and fun activities to your kid’s schedule, consider enrolling your little ones in one of the many music classes offered at Romp n’ Roll. Our developmentally appropriate activities combined with musical play give your children an opportunity to grow musically, socially and emotionally.
Our teaching philosophy is that music is rooted in movement. Our Tumble Tunes music class is the perfect combination of the two! This class combines physical skill-building while fostering the love of music through instruments, movement activities, and exercises that focus on rhythm, tempo, and pitch. Our music programs are truly one of a kind and combine all genres of music from folk to classical pieces, from rock n’ roll to lullabies. These classes are a great place to start with children showing musical interest.
