As a parent of a young child, chances are you’ve found yourself with certain nursery rhymes stuck in your head before. However, no matter how difficult these earworms can be to get rid of, it’s important to remember how fundamental early musical experiences like this can be for your little one’s early development. There are many benefits to exposing your child to music in their early years, and in this blog, we’ll explore a few of them.
Cognitive Skills
Music is a powerful stimulus for the brain, especially for young children. When children engage with music - whether it’s through listening, singing or playing instruments - they are activating multiple areas of the brain simultaneously. This can lead to improvements in memory, attention span and problem-solving skills.
Communication and Language Development
Right from the beginning, music and sound patterns are important to your child. Studies show that newborn babies, and even foetuses in the womb, can recognise and respond to music - some parents even find that their babies are soothed by songs they heard during pregnancy after they’re born! This early sound recognition helps infants identify their parents’ voices, and later to pick up on words and learn to talk.
Socialising and Self-Expression
If you’ve ever watched young children respond to music, you’ll have noticed how naturally it comes to them to sing, dance and play. These are all valuable forms of expression that allow your child to recognise, explore and show emotions in a healthy way.
Music in childhood can also be a very social experience: singing songs at nursery or at music groups is an excellent way for children to come together and enjoy a shared culture with their peers.
Psychical Coordination
Music and movement go hand in hand, and engaging in musical activities can hugely improve a child’s physical coordination. Dancing to music, clapping along to a beat or playing simple instruments like tambourines and maracas helps children refine their motor skills, develop better hand-eye coordination, balance and a sense of rhythm.
Want to Know More About Our Day Nursery?
At Blue Nest Montessori School, we are committed to providing a well-rounded education that prioritises play-based learning and nurtures every aspect of a child’s development. Our Montessori environments in Harrow, Pinner and Borehamwood offer a variety of activities that help children grow cognitively, emotionally, socially and physically.
If you’re looking for a nurturing and stimulating environment for your child, we invite you to visit one of our schools and experience The Montessori Way. For more information, please get in touch for more information.
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