Making Music Together: Five Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Learn About Music

Today’s parents understand the value of music for the development of young children. It is not only fun for their youngsters to listen, sing and dance along to, but we know that it also helps children develop important skills, such as language, concentration, confidence, and self-esteem.

 Equally as important, all children are naturally musical—just as they are born with the potential to learn to speak and understand language, they have the ability from birth to learn music. And nurturing this innate talent early provides the foundation for later success with traditional music or dance lessons.

 Early childhood is a period of rapid change and development; it is also the most critical time in a child’s musical growth. Early childhood music classes, such as those at Music Together (www.musictogether.com), are also filled with special moments when parents can spend valuable time with their little ones while youngsters learn about music and movement.

 Unfortunately, many adults feel inadequate as music-makers themselves and, as a result, fail to make music with their children in everyday life—a true loss for both generations. Parents and caregivers can contribute enormously to the enrichment of their child’s music development—regardless of parents’ own music abilities. It isn’t important that you sing or move well; it is important that you model singing and moving for your child.

Here are some tips to help you begin your child’s musical journey:

1. Sing and dance with your child. The best thing you can do to help set your child on the road to a lifelong love of music is to participate enthusiastically in music activities yourself. Have you ever noticed how instinctively children try to imitate older siblings and grownups? Imitation is an important part of how they learn. Children learn to talk this way, as well as to walk. If you read books, they’ll want to read. If you sing and dance, they will, too. Show your child that you enjoy making music!
2. Sing a lullaby to your child before bed. Young children love to hear their grownups sing to them. The sound of your voice, even if it is not pitch-perfect, is precious to your child. A lullaby provides a time to be close to your child physically, emotionally, and musically. The lullaby can transform the bedtime hour into an oasis of loving calm. For babies and toddlers, it provides a comforting bedtime ritual. For older children, who are increasingly verbal, it is often the time they spontaneously confide their hopes and fears.
3. Take cues from your child and respond musically. If your baby or toddler “coos” on a pitch, return the sound. If your child sings on the way to the grocery store, sing with her. If your child brings an instrument to you, try to stop what you are doing and play.
4. Make it a family affair. Make music as a family. Have a dance party or a sing-along. Get out the pots and pans and form a kitchen band. Gather around the piano at celebrations. One of the goals of Music Together is to bring music back to family life. Imagine sitting around as a family and singing instead of watching TV or playing video games. Family music-making can be a wonderful activity shared with immediate and extended family, including nannies and babysitters
5. Bring your child to an early childhood music program like Music Together. Young children learn best in a non-formal environment free from performance pressure and undue interference with their natural sense of fun. Music Together provides children with all of the ingredients for music learning. It offers a rich musical repertoire to actively explore, along with the pleasure and support of being with loved ones in a music-making community. Music Together activities are designed to be accessible and interesting for all styles of learning. Best of all, it’s a fun activity that the whole family can participate in together.

Music Together is an award-winning, internationally recognized early childhood music program for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, big kids, and the adults who love them. Launched in 1987 the Music Together curriculum, coauthored by Kenneth K. Guilmartin and Dr. Lili Levinowitz, is based on the recognition that all children are musical. All children can learn to sing in tune, move with accurate rhythm, and participate with confidence in the music of our culture, provided that their early environment supports such learning. Music Together offers programs for families, schools, at-risk populations, and children with special needs, in over 2,500 communities in 41 countries. The company is committed to bringing children and their caregivers closer through shared music-making and helping people discover the joy—and educational value—of early music experiences. More at www.musictogether.com and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MusicTogether. Find a Music Together class near you at https://www.musictogether.com/class-locator.

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Disclaimer:
This product was received from the Company for review purposes only. All thoughts and words in this post is my own and I was not paid to endorse it. I am only voicing my opinion about this product.