| It is interesting to observe how fast children learn when | | | | of everything young children learn. It contributes to the |
| they are young! Research supports our observations | | | | growth and coordination of the large and small body |
| that learning experiences must begin in the early years | | | | muscles. In addition, movement is an important |
| from birth to age five. This is a critical time in a | | | | nonverbal learning tool. Preschoolers understand much |
| child’s musical and cognitive development. The | | | | that they cannot yet put into words. They |
| benefits of music and movement in the preschool | | | | demonstrate their understandings through gestures and |
| years have been well documented. Research studies | | | | other movements. As we observe the child’s |
| show that music enhances brain development and | | | | movement, we gain insight into what the child is thinking |
| academic learning. Music affects many areas of brain | | | | and understanding. |
| function and neurological development. Many levels of | | | | Songs help us to learn as well as express ourselves in |
| neurological readiness exist in children, and music is a | | | | a musical manner. Appropriate songs for preschool |
| powerful enhancer at each stage of neurological | | | | children include nursery rhymes, finger plays, |
| development. The earlier a child is exposed to music | | | | educational songs that incorporate counting, letters of |
| and movement, the better. Research findings include: | | | | the alphabet, animals and animal sounds, colors, etc. |
| • Children who receive early music training | | | | Songs and recorded music should promote activities |
| score higher on standardized tests. | | | | such as walking, jumping, dancing, and marching. |
| • The use of music during learning can | | | | Clapping or patting the steady pulse or beat of |
| increase a child’s IQ. | | | | rhymes, songs, chants, and recorded music is a |
| • Young children who take music lessons | | | | valuable activity and preparation for future music |
| show different brain development and improved | | | | ensemble participation. The ability to perform a steady |
| memory over the course of a year compared to | | | | beat while singing, speaking, or listening to music aids |
| children who do not receive musical training. | | | | the child’s success in reading and other academic |
| • There is a link between spatial reasoning and | | | | areas. Music education is an important aspect for a |
| participation in music and movement activities. | | | | child’s learning process in life. From simple beginning |
| Preschool children are at the beginning of the learning | | | | experiences the child is guided to more sophisticated |
| spectrum. Parents and teachers set learning patterns | | | | musical and creative activities. |
| and attitudes and introduce children to learning by | | | | While music is a viable stand alone educational |
| providing the first exposures. These exposures should | | | | program, music also reinforces and enhances the |
| encourage the joy of participating in music and making | | | | learning of other skills and benefits learning in many |
| music. Joyful experimentation will result in the growth | | | | ways. This is especially true for reading and language |
| of musical skills and lay the foundation for future music | | | | arts. Music helps children focus on the structure of |
| learning as well as for future academic success. | | | | sounds which is an important aspect in language |
| As a music educator for 40 years, I have seen the | | | | development and literacy skills. Having a musical |
| positive results of music education for children. At Silly | | | | vocabulary of melodic patterns and phrases directly |
| Bus performances, I enjoy seeing the positive | | | | transfers to the ability to develop a spoken vocabulary |
| reactions of the children to the songs and interactive | | | | of patterns and sounds—thereby aiding the child’s |
| presentations as they learn a variety of educational | | | | success in reading and communicating. |
| skills and concepts. The music and shows have great | | | | It has long been believed that brains change as a result |
| appeal for children. | | | | of music learning. Researchers in neuroscience, utilizing |
| As children make music, listen to music, and move to | | | | recent advances in MRI technology, are actually |
| music through a variety of experiences, they develop | | | | studying the human brain in the act of creating or |
| creative abilities, attention spans, motor and rhythmic | | | | listening to music. And what they are finding is |
| coordination, socialization skills, mental agility, and the | | | | remarkable. |
| ability to process aural information. It is very important | | | | Perhaps the most exciting news is the evidence that |
| for parents to expose their children to music and to | | | | music can actually change the physical structure of the |
| encourage participation in music and movement | | | | brain – a fact that has critical implications for both |
| activities informally at home and in more organized | | | | education and medicine. Music may even be a major |
| music education settings. | | | | key to unlocking the mystery of how the brain actually |
| Movement is innate in children and provides the basis | | | | learns. |