Music Development in Babies and Toddlers: The Benefits of Music Together
How do young children develop musical skills for life?
Just like how children learn all basic life skills– by observing their parents and caregivers! In an environment that is nurturing, loving, and stimulating, parents take on the role as informal educators of their children. In the same way that children learn how to talk and move, they can learn how to keep a beat, sing in tune, and develop a love for music that will last a lifetime.
Music Together classes at Music House offer an opportunity for parents and their children (ages 0-5) to engage in music, with no prior experience or musical ability required. In a 45-minute-class, the Music Together teacher will facilitate 12-14 song activities including free-dances, chants, lullabies, and props like instruments and scarves.
Music Together is a research-based music program with a curriculum that is specifically designed to cater to young children’s music development. The song collections are incredibly diverse with a wide range of subjects, keys, rhythmic meters, tonalities, and even languages. Children love the music, and so do adults! Parents in the class often comment on how much they enjoy the Music Together collections, especially compared to the kids’ music they are used to hearing. This is a strategic move in the curriculum– research tells us that if parents are modeling joy and active participation in music, their children are more likely to demonstrate the same disposition.
The Music Together curriculum is led with the belief that all children are born with musical aptitude, just as they are born with the ability to learn language. While aptitude acknowledges the abilities that are inborn, musical achievement depends on the environment that those abilities are nurtured in. Now with that in mind, it is important not to get so caught up in the achievement of musical skills that we pressure young children to perform. In a Music Together class, you will often see parents doing most of the singing and dancing while their child watches silently. This is completely normal and just an example of how children learn about the world: through observation. That child may be silent during class, but afterward they will go home and perform the entire song collection for their family. Or maybe it will take weeks or months before they make any musical sound at all– in class or at home! Every child develops at their own pace. As long as they have a parent or caregiver that is modeling love, interest, and active participation in music, that child will achieve competence in basic musical skills.
In the age of screens, streaming, and music “on demand”, children are learning to participate in music in a passive way. While there is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying your favorite song at the click of a button, being able to confidently and actively participate in music is vital for cultural, emotional, and social development– not to mention the benefits for physical and neurological development! With dancing, singing, instruments and play, Music Together classes are a judgment-free, fun environment where you can focus on being an active participant in music with your child.
