We all know that music and dancing are fun activities. Children love to move around and make noise, but did you know it’s also an important part of their development? Dancing, singing, and playing music are part of a child’s method of growing up and learning what their bodies can do. It also teaches children how to socialize with other people, objects, and the world around them.

What happens when a child sings or dances?

According to research, regular movement experiences help children to develop movement control, coordination, and strength. This is because music can strengthen the connection between the body and brain to work together as a team.

For instance, when dancing and moving to music, children develop better motor skills whereas singing along to a song helps them to practice their singing voice. In general, exposure to music supports children in their development process to learn the sound of tones and words.

Children begin to make sense of sounds before they leave the womb and the first response to it is through the movement of their body. When a child dances, they learn about how their body can move. They experiment with
traveling motions such as walking, sliding, and jumping, as well as other movements like twisting, bouncing, and bending. Dancing uses different muscles than simply standing and walking around does, which strengthens them. Through dance, children learn to coordinate and control their bodies and the movement helps them develop
spatial awareness.

If children are copying an adult or learning a set dance such as ‘the chicken dance’, their listening and understanding skills will be improved. They will also begin to pay more attention to others sharing the space.

Singing is one-way children can understand language and sound. Through singing, they will improve their vocabulary and communication skills. Rhyming in songs provides exercise for the brain and develops valuable memory skills. We all learned our ABCs through a song! Singing also improves lung function and increases blood flow.

Why your child should play music?

When creating music children become much more engaged than when they just listen. Singing and using instruments boosts their creativity and can easily be done in groups to improve their social skills and help them bond with others.

Here are 8 of the benefits you can expect for CHILDREN LEARNING MUSICAL INSTRUMENT:

1. Teaches Patience: Playing an instrument means having to persevere through hours, days, and possibly years of practice. Kids must have patience while acquiring to set goals. The violin is an instrument that can teach patience, as it takes practice just to learn how to hold the bow and get the strings to make a sound.
2. Creates responsibility: Most instruments take maintenance to keep them looking and sounding like new, giving kids something to be responsible for.
3. Boosts Self-esteem: Learning an instrument provides kids with an outlet to practice, listen to feedback, make improvements and see positive changes. As they improve, they will build confidence and boost self-esteem. The piano makes a great example, as it’s an instrument often used for performing.
4. Improves reading skills: For a child playing the trumpet, which only has three pistons to control airflow and formulate notes, they will have to read music while also using hand combinations to create specific notes.
5. Exposes New cultures: Music is a reflection of history. When you expose children to music, you teach them about jazz, blues, baroque, and even zydeco cultures. Through these cultures, kids can develop a greater affection for their instruments.
6. Enhances Coordination: Playing an instrument means the brain has to work quickly and efficiently. Kids have to concentrate on reading music and converting the notes into the physical motion of playing. As a result, kids can significantly enhance their hand-eye coordination.
7. Encourages Self-Expression: Children who learn to play an instrument have an outlet for creativity and making their own choices, something which fosters self-expression. Music is one of the ways children can easily communicate emotions they may feel too uncomfortable or unable to talk about. One example of this is the saxophone, a jazz instrument known for tugging at the heartstrings. By learning to play an instrument, kids can convey their emotions healthily and productively.
8. Increases Memory Capacity: As we age, it’s common to forget little things. But kids can efficiently improve memory skills at a young age by learning to play an instrument. Music teaches kids to effectively create, store and retrieve memories, similar to a workout for the brain. Consider enrolling your child in lessons to learn the guitar. They will have to memorize which strings correspond with which notes and how to play chords with specific hand positions.

Children can’t always communicate their feelings through words, so it’s useful for them to have a healthy outlet for their emotions. Get your child singing, dancing, and playing music. It will benefit their development in so many ways and you’ll both be sure to have fun too!