Marie-Louise Lyon, MT-BC
It seems as though every day a study is being published about what you need to do to make your child grow up smarter, funnier, stronger, healthier. I don’t know about anyone else, but some days it is a victory that everyone got out of bed, out the door, and to their destination on time! Although there are numerous studies documenting the benefits of using music with children, as parents it does not always seem to be practical and usable advice.
One of the most popular pieces of advice out there is to enhance your child’s home environment by using music in as many ways as possible. That is great advice if you feel confident with music, but many of us adults do not believe ourselves to be musical people. So how can a person who feels they are not musical use music at home? Below are three simple ways that anyone can use music at home with their child.
1. Make up songs about your day. The best and easiest way to incorporate music into your day is to use your voice! It’s cheap and it’s easy. Your child will not care whether you have a great voice or a mediocre voice; they will enjoy making music with you! Remember, your child has been listening to and enjoying the sound of your voice far before they entered this world. If you are feeling confident, compose your own songs by using a common method used in music therapy called the piggyback method. Take any familiar song and change the words to fit your daily routine. Below is a little girl using Row, Row, Row Your Boat to sing about brushing her teeth.
If you are not comfortable making up your own words, the Sing A New Song has some great piggyback songs that you can use. You can also google search almost any routine and find a variety of resources! Pick something that you will enjoy singing!
Remember to take it easy! Don’t try to make up a song for every routine on your first day. Enjoy learning each song one at a time. Focus on that song until you and your child gets comfortable and it becomes part of the routine before adding more songs. Adding one moment of music making together a day will have a profound impact on your child’s environment!
2. Share your favorite music. I’ve often heard a common myth that the only kind of music that makes children smart is classical music, mostly Mozart. However, the only thing your child will learn if you hate classical music is to hate classical music! Children learn by watching and modeling the behavior of others. Therefore, it is important to share your love of music with them, no matter what kind of music it may be. My love of music developed during fun times dancing around the kitchen with my dad, rock and roll music blaring! Although those moments just seemed like playtime, they were defining moments that developed my love for music and enriched my learning.
3. Attend concerts together. Another myth about children is that they should not attend concerts because they are too young, would not enjoy them, and would be disruptive. I love going to concerts! Live music, the atmosphere, and interacting with other people who share my passion! Don’t those sound like great advantages to take your children? During the summer months, there are a variety of (free!) outdoor concerts that are the perfect venue to take your kids to. However, just because the summer has come to an end does not mean that the music has to as well. Many area symphony orchestras offer special incentives to children to attend concerts. The Kennedy Center has developed a series of sensory friendly concerts that have better lighting and sound levels for children. If you are willing to travel a little bit further, The Musical Autist also puts on sensory friendly concerts in the Baltimore-Annapolis area. Attending a concert together is not only fun, but helps to encourage a love for music and learning.
Using Music to Reach Your Full Potential
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