One of the joys of early parenthood is learning more about the beautiful human you’ve created.  What are his likes and dislikes?  How does she communicate when she’s hurt, or hungry, or excited?  What’s the one thing you can do to guarantee that he goes to sleep on time?  Discovering your child’s personality and watching it develop is truly a unique experience that you’ll never forget.

As you’re learning, you may want to watch out for how closely your child pays attention to music.  If your child has an affinity or ear for music, there are many telltale signs you can look out for to encourage them.  Here are a few to guide you:

  1. Rhythmic movements – Watch your child dance. A musically attuned toddler will sway in time to the music or tap their toes along with the music.
  2. Awareness of sounds – If your child is sensitive to or at the very least aware of the different sounds around them – the doorbell, the running faucet, the dog barking, the various songs and sound effects from the TV – they will probably be good at distinguishing different musical instruments and pitches.
  3. “Is that right, Mommy?” — Children who have musical affinity will know when something sounds wrong in music. Try singing a song they know pretty well and intentionally sing part of it incorrectly. If they notice it or stop to correct you, they’ll be quick to catch onto songs and sing in tune.
  4. Visibly drawn to music – Does your kid sit at rapt attention the moment you turn on the radio or hum to yourself? Does his/her face light up the moment he/she hears music? Encourage that behavior and play different types of music to see what they like or dislike!

Despite what someone may or may not have told you as a child, it’s important to foster the love of music and creativity —– ultimately, a positive attitude goes a long way, and if they see that you love it, they will too!

Looking to encourage your child’s budding musical interest?  The International School of Music offers a wide variety of preschool music classes for children as young as six months old. Early Childhood Music classes offer age-appropriate activities including: singing, dancing, listening, playing pitched and non-pitched instruments, music games, rhythm games, and stories!

Want to know more? Call Cara at 301.365.5888 to learn more about our Early Childhood Music Program, piano lessons, guitar lessons, and other options offered at our music studio, and schedule your FREE TRIAL today!