All-rounder music - Promoting healthy development with rhythm, music, play and dance
Published by
Nicolas Schuler
on 29.09.2022
Up to the age of 5, music and the development of speech and motor skills are inseparably interwoven. As parents, you cannot avoid the topic, even though as adults we often perceive the importance of singing and sounds rather unconsciously. Early support in the musical field favours above all language, but also motor skills, creativity, and social competence. Early musical support helps in the development of personality and concentration, and sensory perception is also supported.
Cognitive development
Children train their memory at a very early age by listening to, singing and reciting songs or verses. By singing or playing an instrument, children can also find new forms of expression. This promotes their imagination.
Children's mathematical skills can also improve through music. For those who play music count and calculate unconsciously. In addition, children also learn the rhythm of language this way.
Linguistic development
From a neurological point of view, language and music are close relatives. Children learn texts, melodies and combine them with movements by clapping, stamping or trying out other forms of movement. This is how their language competence develops multisensory. Babies, for example, perceive language as a dynamic mix of different noises and sounds.
By listening to similar sounds, babies refine their hearing and their language development. By singing and reciting songs, verses or rhymes, children can improve their vocabulary and expressions.
Motor development
Motor development is stimulated by moving and dancing to music. Especially young children benefit from this. In addition, children improve their sense of rhythm, concentration, and coordination skills with music.
By "performing" a dance in front of or to their parents, children can build up their self-confidence and thus also learn to know their limits. The most important thing, however, is that dancing is a lot of fun, the movement is also a good balance so that the children can fall asleep better.
Emotional development
Making music, singing, and moving together strengthen social and emotional skills. The children feel part of a larger group, and everyone can contribute to a good sound. Music binds. Songs and singing games that make the content tangible and visible through touch and gestures bring joy to bot the children and caregivers and has an effect on both. By singing and making music together, children deepen their relationship in the best possible way. By dancing and moving to music, children learn to express their feelings. This in turn leads to children feeling less fear or inhibitions as they grow older.
Musical-creative development
Tones and sounds playfully stimulate creativity and imagination. What does this tone sound like? Is it more happy or sad? Where would you perhaps hear these sounds? Maybe in the forest, in the city or in the swimming pool? What does this sound remind you of?
Active music-making and extended music lessons in and out of school have a positive effect on children's musical and creative development. Hans Günther Bastian, a musicologist from Austria, came to this conclusion during his research for the Bastian Study. The study examined the ability to learn songs and to reproduce them rhythmically in relation to the overall musical talent.
The study found that children who received music-emphasised instruction over time performed better on tests of aptitude, achievement and creativity than those who rarely had the opportunity to experience music professionally.
When is my child too old for "Child music"?
Children begin to take their cue from adult music between the ages of six and 13. Usually, the phase in which "children's music" is listened to ends between first and third grade. Children usually like the music style of their parents and listen to similar music.
During puberty, the musical taste of young people usually changes again. This depends on the different influence groups the teenager has. These can be for example friends or relatives, but also a sports club or a study group.
How can your children experience music?
Getting to know sounds
There is a lot to discover in the world of music! It is exciting to experiment with different sounds, tones and noises. Loud, soft, fast, long, shrill or deep - the children learn how which sound can be produced. For the first sound productions, any kitchen utensils as well as everyday materials are suitable for toddlers in everyday life. Children can move and dance to any music, be it classical or hip-hop - the musical variety guarantees enrichment for the whole family.
Activation or calming
Depending on the type of music, it can have a calming or activating effect on the child. Gentle music, for example, can improve falling asleep. On the other hand, more powerful and motivating music can increase energy. Music promotes perception in listening as well as the perception of feelings.
"Children's music" that also pleases parents
"Children's music" can quickly become very annoying for adults. Especially when a song is popular with the children and plays on a continuous loop. That's why we have listed some artists who produce "bearable children's music" for adults:
Music and dance games at home
- Start with household utensils or simple instruments, such as rattles, drums, tambourines or glockenspiels.
- Sing finger verses and children's songs together and move to them
- Warm/cold" game with sounds: an object is hidden, the child goes looking for it, if the child goes in the right direction the sound becomes louder, if the child moves away from the hiding place the sound becomes softer - of course the roles can also be reversed!
- Parents drum a short rhythm on the child's back, the child claps the rhythm.
- Listening to different types of music together and inventing, demonstrating, and imitating short movements to go with it.
- Move and dance around the room to classical music - Vivaldi's 4 Seasons, for example.
- Painting music - we listen to music and paint on a large paper in rhythm or transform the sounds into colours.
- We look at art paintings and transform them into sounds and rhythm
- Let the children try it out! Rules can be very important, but sometimes it is necessary to just let a child do it and find out for themselves what sounds nice and what not so much.
- The easiest way to get children excited about music is to join them. Listening to music, singing, and dancing together can bring a lot of joy.
- Include movement and dance - this improves the child's motor skills and is fun. Dancing together also strengthens the social relationship between the child and the person dancing with them.
Children love repetition - also in music and songs. That is why parents should choose and use pieces of music carefully. The same lullaby repeatedly helps the child to fall asleep more quickly.
Children like to create music themselves and move to music. In order to promote children's development in a holistic way, it makes sense to use both types of music production. The interaction between the child and the caregiver is always important. Movement, language, and emotions with or to music promote the child's development; just "consuming" music is not enough.
Music in the kids & co day care centres
In our kids & co day-care centres, music and music-making are indispensable. The day often starts with singing together to celebrate greetings and togetherness. There is also a joint song before lunch - this increases the anticipation of the delicious meal and strengthens the sense of community. The children are also allowed to contribute their own impulses and ideas, for example by imitating and clapping, shouting and much more. Furthermore music is also used to help the children fall asleep or to calm them down.
Which children's songs do our teachers like?
Alicia Cappis, pedagogical manager of the Bern region recommends:
D’Flügel, wo du mier häsch geh – Linard Bardill
Alicia says: "With this song I immediately dive into the world of fantasy. The unlimited freedom is palpable - I feel and love it 🎈"
Diana Moser, Diplom-Sozialpädagogin und Diplom-Sozialarbeiterin:
Die Vogelhochzeit
Diana says: "This song has always brought me a lot of joy and always encouraged me to learn bird names by heart in my childhood."
Deborah Bühler, Head of Operations:
Aramsamsam
Deborah says: "It's a song that even babies can imitate. I also like the fact that there are no language barriers with this song 😊"