Kiddipedia
From your child’s first day of life to approximately five years, 90% of their brain development occurs. Every sight, smell, sound and sensation makes an impact. Your babies brain develops through use, therefore your baby needs an environment that provides lots of opportunities for sensory stimulation and learning.
Music provides the perfect sensory stimuli to encourage brain development without being too overstimulating Music triggers the auditory system, furthermore incorporating musical actions or props (puppets, instruments) supports the tactile, vestibular and visual senses. Music can include singing, listening, rhymes, puppet play, humming, instruments and more.
Here are 10 simple ways to incorporate more music into your child’s day:
- Mealtime (sing to the tune of ‘If you are happy and you know it then eat your {insert food})
- Bed time (lullabies such as ‘Twinkle Little Star’ or ‘You are my sunshine’)l with a light touch across the face and back)
- In the car (sing songs about the weather such as ‘Rain, rain go away’ or ‘I can sing a Rainbow’ or ‘Wheels on the Bus’
- In the bath (try ‘It’s raining, it’s pouring’ as you lightly sprinkle water on your child’s head)
- Whilst getting dressed (we enjoy a game of Musical Freeze as we get dressed which can be funny for older children. For babies try light tickles across the soles of the feet as you sing ‘Round and round the garden like a teddy bear’
- When washing hands (it should take the same amount of time as singing ‘Happy Birthday’ twice)
- Toileting (try action songs such as ‘This is the way we wash our hands early in the morning’)
- On the trampoline (sing Animal songs such as ‘Old McDonald’ and have your children do the actions)
- Whilst swimming (try ‘Hokey Pokey’ with splashes)
- Book into a music based class
Your child doesn’t care if you can sing or not, and you shouldn’t mind either. Singing from an early age helps children learn the sounds and meanings of words, thus contributes to successful reading and writing later in life. The most important benefit to singing is the happiness it should bring you and your family.
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