Music Activities for Infants & Toddlers
Music can benefit infants and toddlers in many ways. Dan Campbell, author of "The Mozart Effect", suggests that exposure to music may benefit the physical and cognitive development of your child at this important age. Music exposes your infant or toddler to sensory experiences which help to build neural pathways in her brain and aid her educational development in the future. Whether your child is a budding Mozart or just loves to hear the sound of your voice, music activities can be enjoyed by everyone.
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Singing
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Infants love to hear you sing and will often be your most appreciative audience as they do not care whether you can sing on key or have a sense of rhythm. Inventing songs about everyday tasks soothes your baby, which can be beneficial if there is anything he particularly dislikes, such as getting dressed. Singing slow songs in a hushed voice is also an effective way to calm your baby or help him to fall asleep.
Activity Songs
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Toddlers enjoy songs that incorporate more physical activity. "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" is a good example of an activity song to sing with your toddler. This song, in which you point to the body parts as you sing their names, can teach your child the names of body parts while she is giggling.
Sing a range of songs with your toddler that teach different concepts such as colors, counting and the alphabet. Teaching songs to your toddler can also help to expand her vocabulary and enhance her listening and concentration skills.
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Playing Musical Instruments
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Many simple musical instruments are available to purchase for infants and toddlers, but they will be just as happy with an inexpensive instrument that has been made from everyday objects. For example, a shaker made from a clean, used plastic soda bottle containing dried peas with a lid held in place firmly with superglue can be enjoyed by infants once they are able to grasp objects.
Toddlers also enjoy tooting through a cardboard tube. Playing small instruments can benefit your young child by helping him to develop fine motor skills. The KidsHealth website advises that playing music uses similar reasoning skills as those needed in math and science, and can therefore help your child to excel in these subjects in school.
Dancing
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Not only is dancing, marching and mimicking actions to music great exercise for toddlers, it also helps them to develop gross motor skills. Once they are able to sit unaided, infants can practice a simple form of movement to music by bouncing up and down or clapping to songs and rhythms.
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- Photo Credit little singer image by Renata Osinska from Fotolia.com
