Music doesn’t just get your toes tapping or your hip bopping – it’s one of the core building blocks of childhood development. There’s no denying music offers kids a ton of benefits, including improved memory, creativity, discipline, patience, and more! With that critical importance in mind, how can you, as a parent, foster a love of music in your own children at an early age? Here are six easy yet powerful ways to encourage a love of music in your kids.
Listen
Today, we have more and easier access to music than ever before. When it comes to sitting down and listening to music with your kids, try listening to stuff you love and expand your own musical tastes. This isn’t only good for you, it’s good to expose your kids to as wide a range of music as possible.
Children, unlike adults, have no musical biases. If they like a song, it’s simply because they like the song. Their taste in music is pure and untainted by what others tell them they should or shouldn’t like.
Your options are wide open: stream music, dig out your old CD or record collection, or try YouTube for a visual element as well. It doesn’t matter what you listen to, as long as you listen with your kids!
Sing
Many parents feel uncomfortable with singing. If you fall into this group, it’s important to remember that your kids are not even slightly concerned with your skill – or lack thereof. They just want to sing with you! And what’s more, singing with your kids can be a lot of fun.
Anything can be made into a song. Make up a little ditty for doing the dishes, or for in the car, or bedtime.
Singing comes naturally to kids and can add fun to any occasion. You can make stuff up right on the spot if you’re spontaneous, sing songs from your own childhood, or go with classic lullabies. Just like listening, it doesn’t matter what you sing, only that you do!
Play
If you’re a musician, this is easy! Just break out your instrument and make music with your kids! It help to show them what the hard work and dedication that go into learning to play can do. Learning to play an instrument empowers and inspires children, and seeing you play can be the spark that starts it all.
On the other hand, if you’re not a musician, that’s okay too. At this early stage you don’t even need to invest in expensive musical instruments. Just grab some shakers or pots and pans and have some fun while blasting music in the background.
Just keep the element of play in mind here. You’re encouraging them to express themselves, not push them into anything before they’re ready. There’s no need to try to push them to find a beat or hit a perfect rhythm.
Dance
Dancing is one of the best ways to encourage your kids to love music. The two are intrinsically connected, and kids have no inhibitions about showing off their moves. Whether you dance around the room with a younger child in your arms, or take the hands of an older child to move to the beat together, it’s the dancing that’s important.
Let them express themselves freely, without instructing them to perform specific moves. And try not to laugh at them, despote how adorable and silly their moves might be – the last thing you want is to make your little dance star feel self-conscious of any of their trademark moves.
Record
Recording music is a great way for kids to experience music from a totally different perspective – listening to their own music. Thanks to the technology contained in the smartphones we all carry around everywhere, anyone can record their children as they sing or play an instrument.
Watching your kids listen to themselves make music can be an incredible experience. Just like the rest of us, they’re usually surprised by the sound of their own voice.
Attend
We’ve said it before: nothing compares to the experience of live music. If your goal is to inspire your kids to partake in a lifelong love of music, few things will be more effective than bringing them to concerts, festivals, and any other kind of live music. Watching real people make music together can be both fun and inspiring.
Live music also helps teach kids how to be a member of the audience: when to clap, when to listen, when to dance, and when to participate.
Festivals and live music can be found year round – what’s more, the venue and kind of music played each season can change: outdoor, popular music concerts in the summer, warm, indoor holiday music in the winter, for example.
Closing Thoughts
You don’t need to be a music teacher, or even have any experience at all to take advantage of these techniques – all you need is an appreciation for music that you want to share. And when it comes to spending quality time with your children, there are few things as educational, entertaining, and enriching as sharing the magic of music.
Music appeals to everyone on one level or another, but most people’s interests stop with simply listening. With all the benefits that can come from an early education in music, why not help foster that developing interest? As a parent you are in a unique position to help broaden your children’s musical tastes and horizons, while giving them the gift of a passion that will last for their entire lives; a passion that they can share with others.
Looking for fun, musical ways to connect with your kids? Maybe you want to start your own music journey. Either way, check out The Music Studio’s professionally taught lessons and classes and get started today!