Music offers numerous benefits for young children, contributing to their overall development and well-being. Research suggests that exposure to music in early childhood can have positive effects on various aspects of a child's life.
Cognitive Development: Music has been linked to enhanced cognitive skills in children, including improved memory and attention. Infants can begin to hear sounds in the womb as early as 16-18 weeks and will respond to sounds (and music) heard in utero once they are born.
Language Skills: Exposure to music, especially through singing and rhythm, can support the development of language skills in young children. Music exposes children to a wide range of vocabulary and the rhythm, rhyme, and repetition help children learn foundational early literacy skills.
Emotional Well-being: Music has the potential to evoke emotions and enhance emotional expression in children, contributing to their emotional well-being. Research suggests that music has the ability to help change people’s moods, so slower musical selections can be used to help young children learn to calm and settle their bodies.
Social Skills: Participating in music activities, such as group singing, movement, or playing instruments, can foster social skills and cooperation in young children. Children learn to take turns and cooperate as they listen to various songs and learn movements that accompany these songs. In addition, when children are regularly exposed to music from various cultures, they learn to develop an appreciation for many types of musical genres.
Motor Skills: Young children learn through movement. If you have ever watched a young child, you will note that they are constantly moving! Playing musical instruments or engaging in rhythmic activities can contribute to the development of fine and gross motor skills as young children move, dance, and skip to the beat of a wide range of musical selections.
Mathematical Abilities: Some studies suggest a positive correlation between music education and mathematical abilities in children (music has rhythm and patterns).
Hannon, E. E., & Trainor, L. J. (2007). Music acquisition: Effects of enculturation and formal training on development. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 11(11), 466-472.
Kaviani, H., et al. (2014). Effect of music therapy on stress, depression, and quality of life in women with breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 144(3), 477-482.
Kirschner, S., & Tomasello, M. (2010). Joint music making promotes prosocial behavior in 4-year-old children. Evolution and Human Behavior, 31(5), 354-364.
Moreno, S., et al. (2009). Musical training influences linguistic abilities in 8-year-old children: More evidence for brain plasticity. Cerebral Cortex, 19(3), 712-723.
Vaughn, K. (2000). Music and mathematics: Modest support for the oft-claimed relationship. Journal of Aesthetic Education, 34(3/4), 149-166.
Rickard, N. S., et al. (2013). Active music making: A route to enhanced subjective well-being among older people. Perspectives in Public Health, 133(1), 36-43.
