| Children's books and music are not just fun and | | | | Creative teachers use children's music as well as |
| games. They play critical roles in children's growth, | | | | books for teaching. Kid's DVDs employ songs to teach |
| learning, and development. Children who learn to read | | | | math, science, languages, social studies, and the fine |
| early and well have a better chance of reaching their | | | | arts. Music is a universal language that promotes |
| full potential in school and in life. Reading is the most | | | | creativity, listening, reading, and comprehension; listening |
| fundamental learning skill; children who do not learn to | | | | to music is a natural way to learn. Music education |
| read when they are young have difficulty learning, | | | | experts recommend exposing children to a variety of |
| achieving, and succeeding throughout their lives. | | | | music starting at a very young age. While many |
| Read Out Loud | | | | excellent musicians specialize in children's music, |
| One way, perhaps the best way, to help young | | | | children also respond to music that is not written and |
| children learn to read is to read children's books to | | | | performed just for their age group. In addition to |
| them out loud. Based on research the U.S. Department | | | | designated kid's songs, play classical music, jazz, |
| of Education concluded that children who were read | | | | hip-hop, country and western and world music. See |
| to three or more times a week were twice as likely to | | | | how the different types of music affect the children's |
| score in the top 25 percent in reading than children | | | | moods and behavior. |
| who were read to fewer than three times a week. | | | | Clapping, tapping, humming, dancing, singing, drumming, |
| The difference shows up in the first years of school: | | | | and playing instruments bring the music world even |
| children who were read to frequently did better in | | | | more into children's lives, appealing to the many ways |
| kindergarten than children who were infrequently or | | | | in which kids learn. We probably all remember one of |
| never read to. | | | | the first songs we ever learned-the ABC song that |
| Choose Books Thoughtfully | | | | taught us the alphabet. A number of audio books for |
| When you read to children and take the time to talk | | | | children combine music with the spoken word, a |
| about the kids' books with them, the children's reading, | | | | combination that helps children make the connections |
| vocabulary, critical thinking, and conversation skills | | | | between the different ways language they can use |
| improve. Teachers, parents, and other family members | | | | language. |
| have many choices of books to read to children. As | | | | Make Learning Fun |
| the adult and the reader you get to choose the | | | | Books and music give children interactive ways to |
| children's books you like, keeping in mind the interests | | | | learn. They encourage children to use their creativity, |
| and comprehension levels of the child. Bookstores with | | | | build on natural talents, strengthen their minds, develop |
| good children's sections, libraries, and online sellers of | | | | higher order thinking skills, and enhance their |
| children's books are excellent sources of reading | | | | self-esteem. Most of all they show kids that learning |
| material for kids. | | | | can be fun. |
| Teach with Music | | | | |