April 9, 2020

Learning Through Music

Mercedes Delgado

My oldest daughter has always shown an increased interest in learning through music. As an infant and toddler, she was always very shy and soft spoken around others. She was hesitant to speak but her personality shined through when she was engaged in music and singing.

Did you know learning through music can help with language learning, reading skills, and attention? When you incorporate music in your daily play routines, it can encourage your little ones to speak. Studies have shown that when babies engage in playing with simple instruments, dancing and wiggling, and imitating finger songs like “the wheels on the bus” and “the itsy bitsy spider”, they tend to learn more communicative gestures, which can assist in acquiring expressive language skills. Repetitive words and rhymes in children’s music is also a great way of encouraging early literacy in young children.

Here are some facts about learning through music:

🎶 Early Childhood is a critical time to support children's natural desire to sing, move and play with sound. Furthermore, research shows that music and music experiences support the formation of important brain connections that are being established over the first three years of life (Carlton, 2000).

🎵 Music can accelerate brain development in young children, particularly in the areas of the brain responsible for processing sound, language development, speech perception and reading skills (Gersema, 2016).

🎼 Music training enhances auditory discrimination, fine motor skills, vocabulary, and nonverbal reasoning (Forgeard et. al, 2008).

🎹 Playing a musical instrument significantly enhances the brainstem’s sensitivity to speech sounds. This relates to encoding skills involved with both music and language (Wong et. al, 2007).

Here is a list of my favorite musical toys appropriate for infants and young children.

(This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click through my referral link I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.)

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Parum Pum Pum and Drumroll Please by B. Toys.

These fun little drum sets include musical instruments such as shakers, tambourines, and egg shakers. The individual instruments can be stored within the drum. They encourage music learning, joint-interaction, movement, and sensory play.

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Mat-A-Matics by B. Toys.

‍This fun light-up musical dance mat encourages attention and following directions as children follow the light patterns, repeat the steps, and complete the songs played. It's a great way to have your little ones get the wiggles out.

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Pound & Tap Bench Xylophone by Hape.

This adorable toy is a pounding bench and xylophone in one. Children can pound on the balls and listen to music as the balls fall on the keys. You also have the option of sliding the xylophone out off the bench. This toy encourages fine motor skills, musical development, and just plain old fun!

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Learn to Play Xylophone by Melissa & Doug

This wonderful little xylophone would make a great gift for preschoolers and older children interested in learning music. It includes easy to follow color coded song cards to teach children how to play favorite nursery rhymes. It encourages hand-eye coordination, creativity, and independent play.

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Wooden Recorder by Melissa & Doug

A recorder is such a classic musical instrument that brings back great childhood memories. This is great beginner instrument for children interested in learning how to play music. It encourages breath control, creativity, and musical imagination.