How to Teach Children Appreciation for Music
As school budgets get slashed, one of the first things to go is music appreciation. This is unfortunate because a strong musical education has been linked to doing better in school and scoring higher on tests. Music promotes language skills, creativity and spatial reasoning. Follow these steps to teach your child an appreciation for music.
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Instructions
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Expose your child to music early. Even pregnancy isn't too early for many parents. Sing, dance and clap to music with toddlers. Show them how music can make them want to get up and move and how music can calm them.
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Make music a regular part of your home. Play the radio, stereo and piano. If everyone is connected to an iPod, buy an iPod stereo that allows you to share music with others in your household.
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Create your own instruments out of household objects like boxes and metal lids. Make maracas from dried gourds. Play your homemade musical instruments and sing along.
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Attend concerts whenever possible. This is a good way to expose children to different kinds of music, whether it's the annual Jazz Festival in your town or a classical quartet in the park. Check out musical programs at local colleges.
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Watch music programs on television. Public broadcasting stations air many musical programs, from "Austin City Limits" to the Boston Pops concerts. "From the Top" is a PBS program that features teen musicians in interviews, concerts and musical Jeopardy. Watch movie musicals together on TV, video or DVD.
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Listen to your kids' music. As children get older, they latch on to their own music. Instead of rolling your eyes or demanding that the volume be turned down, teach your child how their music connects to other types of music. Robert Johnson is a major influence of many of today's rock guitarists. Listen to recordings of his blues songs. Show kids the similarities between African and Caribbean drumming and rock drummers.
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Support your child's desire to learn to play an instrument. Low-cost used musical instruments can be found at garage sales and pawn shops.
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