Every Day Can Be A Sing-along, Dance-along Day!
No matter where you find yourself in this beautiful planet we call Earth, you will hear music. Music varies with the culture of every place; nonetheless, it holds the same benefits for everyone. Music is not just beautiful to the ears; it is good for the soul as well. As a learning tool, meanwhile, music develops both sides of the brain, especially in children. As kids listen to voices and sounds, these stimuli reinforce how they understand and construct language. These also help in the development of speech. Singing, as well as other musical activities, gives children another mode of communication and self-expression.
How do you help your kids learn through music? Start with traditional nursery rhymes and other songs you have learned as a child. Children thrive on repetition, so sing with your preschooler as often as you can. After your kids become comfortable with a song, sing a verse but leave out the last word and see if they can fill in the blank. Leave out words in the middle of a verse as well—make a game out of it! You could even be more playful and add a word that rhymes but doesn’t fit the verse at all, and see how your child reacts to it. See if he can top your silly word with an even sillier one!
Strengthen your child’s musical learning by exposing him or her to a wide variety of musical genres, from classical to reggae to big band and more. Music without lyrics can lead to some free dance movements. Take this chance to move freely around the room with your child! See what dance moves you can come up with together! Let yourselves enjoy the sound of the beat!
When my daughters were young, they loved simple songs such as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. I added movements and actions to the song as we were singing them, which helped boost my kids’ spatial awareness and coordination skills. My girls always enjoyed creeping that spider up the waterspout as high as their little hands could take them while still maintaining their balance (another important skill). The twinkling of the stars improved their small muscle development as they stretched their fingers in and out. They put together the sound of the word and added the action, which not only built their vocabulary but increased their cognition as well.
You can find a lot of children’s music in record bars or online, which you can simply purchase and download for easy playback. When looking for music, make sure to get those that match your child’s personality. For example, if you child loves dinosaurs, you can find a whole album dedicated to music about dinosaurs. Remember that repetition is key to learning, so get ready to sing these songs over and over again! The predictable patterns created in music will indeed boost your child’s development, not to mention let you both have fun in the process!
