The Importance of Music

So, Pandora has become my new best friend.  I mean, limitless stations, few commercials...  There's something for everyone.  I think I put music on for about 90% of my day.   There's just something about having the tunes going that makes the day great, even if it's cold, windy, and there's so much snow outside the window, you can only see the top half of a three story apartment building.  But, anyway...  Maybe that's just Minnesota.

I love music.  There is very little that I won't listen to.  Like rap.  I just don't get the words most of the time, so I tend not to try too  hard.  But pretty much anything else is fair game.  And I make sure that all my kiddos (at work and at home) are exposed to a variety of musical styles.  Different genres give different experiences, and it is such a simple way to expand their vocabulary and exposure to culture.

Music can be a great teaching tool. Singing gets children's attention in a way that simply speaking to them doesn't, and can't.  Like the clean up song....  Tell a child five times that he needs to clean up, and he keeps right on playing.  But sing that song, and poof!  He can get the toys on the shelf before the end of the song.  Or for learning writing.  When Little Man went to kindergarten, his music teacher taught them songs for each of the numbers.  "Start at the top, and go straight down!  Start at the top, and go straight down.  Start at the top, and go straight down!  And that's a number 1!"  Or for listening, sharing, and being a good friend.  There are so many studies that show that knowledge set to music is retained much better than if it is just spoken.

I also love music as background noise.  While I am sewing, I will usually have my phone plugged in nearby, with Pandora going.  Even now, as I write, I have the Pink station playing.  And I almost always have music playing while I am at work, for both myself and the children.  It is something to focus on when things get stressful, and it can set the mood for the room.  If the kids are wound up, putting on something quiet and soothing can help them to calm down.  If it is playtime, putting on some Raffi or Greg and Steve gives us music and movement songs as a template for play.


Songs and finger plays also play a part in developing knowledge in children.  They learn the sounds of language, and the predictability of speech.  A child learns what to expect next.  And the movements that go along with it helps them to develop a sense of balance and response. There are songs for counting and patterns, colors, seasons, days of the week, months of the year... The list is endless, especially if you are creative and make up your own songs for them.  And using the same songs for specific parts of the day (nap time, anyone?) can help cue children for transitions.

One other big reason I love to expose children to music is the variety across cultures.  The music that is popular in the U.S. can be very different from what is popular in Ireland, Japan, or India.  And it is such a great experience for children to hear the different styles of music.  Their brains are so busy hearing the patterns and rhythms of the music, they don't even realize how much they are learning without even trying.

So, sing away!  Your child isn't Simon Cowell, and will love the time, the fun, and the sheer silliness that can come from enjoying music together.