Five Ways Parents Can Help Their Children Learn About Music

Marin Mommies presents a sponsored article from Music Together Tamalpais.

Most parents now understand the value of music for the development of young children. Not only is music-making fun for the whole family, it also supports children’s overall development in several key areas, including language, social-emotional, cognitive, and physical growth. That’s because Music-learning Supports All Learning®.

According to the music education experts at Music Together Worldwide, whose research-based early childhood music classes were developed in 1987 and are now offered in 2000+ communities, all children are naturally musical. Nurturing this innate ability early provides the foundation for a musical life, whether that’s traditional lessons, or confidently singing on a friend’s birthday or going to a school dance.

How You Can Support Your Child's Music-Learning
Here are five tips from Music Together® to help begin your child’s musical journey. You are a big part of it, even if you don’t think of yourself as “musical.”

1. Simply sing and dance with your child! The best thing you can do to help set your child on the road to a lifelong love of music is to participate enthusiastically in music activities yourself. So, put on your favorite playlist and dance, sing, and jam along. It’s OK if your notes and steps aren’t perfect. It’s about showing your child that you enjoy making music with them!
2. Sing a lullaby to your child before bed. Young children love to hear their grownups sing to them. A lullaby provides a time to be close to your child physically, emotionally, and musically, and creates a comforting bedtime ritual.
3. Take cues from your child and respond musically. If your baby or toddler “coos” on a pitch, return the sound. If your child sings in the car or on a walk, sing with them. If your child brings an instrument to you (spoons count!), play along.
4. Make it a family affair. Family music-making is a wonderful, screen-free activity. Have a dance party or sing-along, or get out pots and pans for a kitchen jam session.
5. Bring your child to an early childhood music program. Young children learn best in a non-formal environment where they can play with the grownups they love. A good class, like Music Together® offers a rich musical repertoire for children to explore, along with the support of being with loved ones in a music-making community. And, it might just bring out your inner musician, too! 

Music Together classes are held in several locations in Marin. (Check out www.musictogether.com/Marin.)