subject: Child Development - Music Helps In Child Development [print this page] For musicians, the musical beat is what holds the music together . Do you know that the musical beat is also essential to your child's development?
Bouncing Baby while singing or chanting is a beat experience. This provides an opportunity for Baby to hear and feel the beat as well as the meter. The ability to keep a steady beat helps in using scissors, bouncing a ball, and even walking with self-confidence.
Rocking Baby while singing a song to her gives Baby a whole-body steady beat experience. During this activity, she hears the beat, feels the beat, and sees the beat as you rock together. Baby loves listening to the steady beat when played, sung, or chanted. The draw of the steady beat may be its similarity to the heartbeat that Baby experienced up close for 9 months.
Life has rhythm and pulse. Baby is aware of this even in the womb when he hears the pulse of Mother's heartbeat and feels the rhythm of her movements. This same pulse and rhythm are present in speech as well, and are highlighted in nursery rhymes. It is important for Baby to be able to feel the underlying pulse of language as well as the rhythm.
One of the most pleasing sounds to Baby's ear is the nurturing quality of the parent or caregiver's singing voice. The interaction between Singer and Baby listener can be enhanced through movement and gestures.
High pitches play an important part in maintaining alertness and energy required for learning. Lower pitches calm and relax the body. This contributes to a sense of well being for the baby. So varying the pitch of your voice to suit the nature of the song, for eg using a lower singing voice for a lullaby will relax your baby and puts her into slumber.
Singing is for everyone. Even if you don't consider yourself a "singer", you probably have a song in your heart. Fortunately, your enjoyment level in music-making is more important to Baby than your skill level. Baby learns best when he is emotionally involved in an activity, so every time you enjoy singing and music-making with him you are helping him experience music as a wonderful part of being alive.
