Romp n' Roll Pittsburgh Blog
The Importance of Music and Movement in Child Development
Aug 7th, 2018
Child Development, Tips
Have you ever asked your child to stop moving or begged them to stay seated or in one spot for a few minutes? Does it seem like his/her little body NEVER. STOPS. MOVING? Sometimes our little ones truly seem like they have ants in their pants! It can be overwhelming trying to get anything done with a busy, busy bee (or 2) (or 3) around.
If your little one seems to have the inability to sit still, don’t worry! It’s developmentally appropriate for kids to want to move, dance, and get their wiggles out. They learn through movement and activity. Their brains are developing, their motor skills are being practiced, and music and movement allows self-expression. Join in on the fun, move and dance right alongside them. The benefits for adults are just as important, and the laughter that will follow is an added bonus!
- Want the toys picked up? Put on a song and prompt your children to pick up the toys before the song ends.
- Need everyone to be seated for a snack or meal? Find a short clip of music and ask everyone to find a seat before music ends.
- Want to load your children into the car for an errand or trip? Make the transition less chaotic. Recommend marching like soldiers to the car, hopping like rabbits or wiggle your arms like worms!
- Want to work on information recall for older kids? Create a song or use one that exists already to remember steps to a task. This works great for homework or school related tasks as well for older children.
Use music and movement to help get tasks accomplished:
Outside of brain and motor skill development, music is a great way to expand knowledge and awareness. Pick a genre of music that is new, find traditional songs from other cultures or regions of the world, and enrich your conversations and learning with your children by making it a larger discussion. For example, grab a few books about jazz music at your local library, talk about local jazz musicians, watch videos to see jazz instruments, and listen to jazz music. The possibilities are endless to bring more music and movement into your home and families!
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