Music Classes for Toddlers and Preschoolers
It is a tale as old as time — Learning music heightens your child’s brain activity and helps them to develop physical coordination. Playing or singing in a musical ensemble raises children’s emotional and social awareness. How can that be?
Our brains process music the same way they process language. Babies learn first through imitation and memorization of sounds, and then through visual and written practice. A child’s exposure to a variety of musical sounds is important in expanding their musical understanding, and enhancing cognitive and physical stimulation!
So, how can you tell if your child is learning? Well, signs that your infant is absorbing music can include smiling or making eye contact when hearing music played. Babbling to music on a comfortable pitch is another sign that your infant is engaging with the sounds they are hearing.
As you little one turns 1 year old, connection to music becomes much more physical. You might see your child move in response to rhythmic sounds or adjust to various changes in the pitch.
For 2 and 3 year olds, differentiating between instruments and voices can be a sign of connecting to music. Having fun while walking, marching, dancing, skipping, twirling, or other forms of physical movement is a behavior that shows signs of processing music. Singing the lyrics and easy intervals of simple songs also builds a strong musical connection!
In International School of Music’s Toddler Tones, a class, designed for 1- to 3- year- olds, young children are encouraged to engage with music through songs, dance, chants, games, finger play, and exposure to non-pitched instruments. The Music, Imagination, and Me class encourages developing minds to improvise and stretch imagination through music. Through improvisation, imagination, play, acting, rhythm, and movement, these classes offer a fun chance to build foundational skills for your child!
Starting at ages 4 and 5 years old, children develop the skill to sing in tune and move in time to music. By seeing pictures or hearing different sounds, 4 and 5 year- olds can also identify instruments and instrument families. When playing with other children in an orchestra or singing with others in a choir, your child has to be aware of multiple sounds, ideas, and emotions being communicated all at once.
International School of Music’s music classes for preschoolers promote independence and boost cognitive understanding of music. In the Music Voyage class, children are encouraged to begin creating their own music through the use of simple rhythmic patterns. In the Instrument Explorers class, children learn about different instruments by seeing, touching, and holding them. Your child can discover which instrument is their favorite for when they are ready to begin private music instruction!
The music education philosopher, Zoltan Kodaly, is known for his belief that music education should begin “nine months before the birth of the child,” as music and sound can be heard even in utero. Learning music benefits child development because as children study music, both the right and left sides of their brain are engaged. This brain activity not only enhances musical skills, but also helps to strengthen concentration, discipline, and creativity. Children who study music are proven to perform better in school because they are better focused and able to think critically. With that being said, help your child develop his or her musical vocabulary and increase brain activity!
Toddlers’ musical understanding and abilities are best developed through early-childhood music classes where they can sing, move, dance, and play along. Better yet, enroll your child in early-childhood music education that offers the opportunity to explore a variety of beginner instruments and experience an introduction to music theory!
If you would like to learn more, view our early-childhood music programs! We also offer private lessons for children, teens, and adults. Contact us today at 301-365-5888 for more information or visit one of our locations in Potomac or Bethesda. We look forward to helping you start your musical journey!
