Music is the most enriching and soothing platform for learning. Kids who listen to music tend to have better language skills and more concentration. A lot of gross motor skills can also be learned easily with musical instruments. And musical movements activities for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are just an ideal way of introducing them to art and expression. Music and Movement Activities for Infant, Toddlers, and Preschoolers must be an important part of their development
It’s as endearing and enriching as anything else, children learn more when they are stimulated with music at an early age. I remember taking my then infant to mom and baby musical sessions. A true fun filled and learning for all. As much as I have liked these my little one has loved being able to jump, sing, play and express herself in such stimulating ways. It helps in adding creative dimensions and auditory discerning skills at a very early age.
Some Benefits of Music and Movement Activities for 3-5-Year-Olds:
- Music improves memory
- Music helps in cognitive development
- Music builds strong social skills
- Music instills self-confidence and self- esteem
- Music brings people from various cultures and learnings together
- Music improves movement and coordination
- Music improves intellectual development of children
- Music helps in self expression
Music and Movement Activities for Infants:
Music and movement activities for infants are designed to provide them with the utmost rhythmic and melodious ways of learning. Infants are pre wired for music and since birth, they show a special love for musical instruments and songs. Jingles, lullaby, rhyming songs and more such musically inclines activities make the most special part of their developmental progress
Appropriate musical experiences teach the kid so much more than anything else can ever offer. The verbal and linguistic understanding reaches an altogether different level. It also improves their own understanding of the world around. It taps their creative energies in utmost intellectual ways. Natural musicality of an infant must be nurtured and enhanced. Some of the activities include:
- Make musical sounds at home with rice or dried grains in empty bottles of various sizes. Lid them tightly and let infants explore these sounds as they rattle them.
2. Some musical toys like maracas, drum, light and sound battery operated ones, bells in rattles and much more help in shake shake shake movement and musical activity
3. Mumma finger daddy’s finger:
Sing along Mumma’s finger where are you, here I am how do you do and point the index finger. Similarly go ahead with daddy’s finger, baby finger and more family names. This helps the kid learn the names in such an incredibly wonderful way
4. Where is thumbkin:
Sing along and point to these, where is thumbkin here I am, here I am; how are you this morning, very well I thank you, come again. repeat with pointer, tall men, ring men, pinkie and repeat with singing in rhyme.
5. Bring out various instruments like drums, shakers, bells and more to play and let infants explore their sounds
6. Sing more rhyming songs like, Humpty Dumpty, jack, and jill, there were 10 in the bed and the little one said roll over, 5 little speckled frogs and many many more which have basics of counting, colors, names, body parts, shapes and more
Music and Movement Activities for Toddlers:
Toddlers need some more fun and active movements to be enriched and stimulated. Music provides all the ways and means for that. It is easy to have a toddler learn some basic rhymes and musical instruments too. Some activities for toddlers include:
- Mom and baby music class:
Learn to dance, rock n roll and get stimulated with amazing beats and rhythms. Mom and baby classes are a great way to get enriched
2. Musical toys:
Some musicals toys which are great for sensory and motor skills development in addition to language and other benefits. Musical activity table, musical instruments for toddlers and poems or rhymes help in spearheading the developmental milestones. It also encourages the toddler for some active participation too.
3. Sing along rhymes like wheels on the bus, incy wincy spider, and many more with actions help in quicker learning for a toddler. The toddlers who are exposed to musical movement activities are better at intellectual and emotional competence.
4. Get a drum for the toddler, and enjoy as he plays with the sticks and despite all the hoopla the child is learning intricate details of sound
5. At this stage, the toddler is ready to sing along when you play musical games.
Music and Movement Activities for Preschoolers:
Preschoolers are just about to head to kindergarten so their readiness must be set in. Musical activities help in giving the necessary focus, patience and brings calmness to them. Being curious and constantly on the move these kids can be tricky to contain. Music is your answer to all their needs. Some of the music and movement activities for 3-5-year-olds include:
1. Kids Zumba:
Zumba can be entertaining and fun in addition to the balance and fitness benefits it provides. For kids, it includes amazing props like a hula hoop, balls, rings, and many more games. Zumba based exercises with songs which aim at bringing more and more developmental understanding to the preschoolers are getting popular day by day.
2. Ballet for Beginners:
Ballet is the most artistic form of dance with performing arts basics. Ballet can be very enriching and exciting for kids aged 3-5. This helps in getting confidence, self esteem, charm, grace, and poise. All of these with many more fitness and happiness benefits make ballet a wonderful activity for preschoolers
3. Aerobics for Kids:
Aerobics is a musical dance based exercise. Kids aerobics is more fun filled and helps in teaching motor skills as well as confidence
4. Playing an Instrument:
Early learning of musical instruments can be amazing for preschoolers ahead. A keyboard, drum, maracas, piano, guitar or violin can be enriching and exciting for these young lovers.
Music making is an experience which every child should benefit from. A child at the fetus stage starts processing sounds and music and infants have an amazing tendency to show comfort and excitement when musical or singing based activities come up. Music binds an individual within and with the environment.
Musical movements can be fun and educational too, music together concepts are bringing out more and more family time which encourages social skills too.
Be a part of your child’s music making and musical exploration. Share ahead and keep writing to us, we love hearing from you!
