Benefits of Music Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

For young children who do not yet have the power of speech, the power of music is a wonderful thing. Songs and musical play activities encourage toddlers and preschoolers to express themselves and better understand their feelings.

In fact, researchers at the University of Queensland discovered that informal music-making at home, beginning around the age of two or three, can lead to improved cognitive and social-emotional results by the age of four or five. More specifically, children participating in music with their parents showed increased vocabulary, numeracy, attentional and emotional regulation, and prosocial skills. These results suggest that music activities have an even greater set of benefits than book-sharing! Let’s dig deeper into how music can benefit young children.

Music for Toddlers

Through music toddlers can:

• explore and discover the world around them
• develop their memories (ie. repeating the words and actions to songs and rhymes)
• practice patterns (ie. rhythmic or melodic) and mathematical concepts (counting – 5 little ducks etc)
• build muscles in their arms, legs and trunk (gross motor development) by dancing (to both fast and slow music) and making sounds like banging a drum or jumping on bubble wrap
• build small muscles in their hands and fingers (fine motor development) through fingerplays such as Eensy Weensy Spider or Open Shut Them
• develop literacy and language skills (singing songs and rhymes provides opportunity to practice language and decipher meaning as well as develop phonological awareness ie. learning to recognise and use different sounds)

And we cannot forget to mention the most important benefit of sharing music with little people – that it makes them feel loved and valued.

If you’re not sure how to do music activities at home with your child, my online music program for babies and toddlers features lots of engaging songs and action rhymes, dances, instrument and musical play activities that you can do anytime, anywhere. Click here to boost your child’s development, make special memories and join the fun!

Music For Preschoolers

Most preschoolers love music and have favourite songs (ie. Baby Shark) which they enjoy singing and dancing to over and over again. But did you know that this is the perfect age to introduce your child to new styles and types of music?

Through music preschoolers can:

• build their brain power required for all learning – musical activities stimulate all of the senses and create multiple pathways between brain cells
• cultivate their communication skills
• explore their creativity and imagination
• lay strong musical foundations which will help them to later learn music more formally (ie. play an instrument)
• increase their emotional intelligence (the ability to identify, assess, and control the emotions of oneself, of others, and groups)
• build their confidence and school readiness

Research shows that children who play or sing music regularly:

• start school with higher levels of reading and math ability
• have clearer focus and body control
• interact more confidently with other children