Playing music to a baby is a great and easy way to interact with the baby in their early days. In the first year of a baby’s life, studies have shown that the so-called “Mozart Effect” which claimed that music help to improve the brain had some credibility to it. In 2012 research done at the McMaster University provided some evidence that babies who were taken to music classes by their parents showed better communication and more complex brain reactions to music. The study also showed that babies who had a lot of music in their first year smiled more.
Another study involving 20 babies were carried out by the University of Washington’s Institute for learning, and brain sciences have discovered that 9-month old children showed an increased cognition of music and speech after engaging in musical classes and exercises with their parents.
Some of the ways that music helps a baby’s brain to develop as follows:
Musical development and understanding
A child’s brain is wired to learn music the same way it is to learn languages. By singing to a child, playing music and engaging in rhythmic activities will train a child’s brain so that helping them to learn music and rhythm later in life much more manageable. That is due to more advanced musical pathways that are formed early in life.
Increased bonding
Another observation from the 2012 McMaster study into the effect of that music stimulates the release of oxytocin in babies. This hormone is responding to “bonding” and is produced when a child is nursing. Because almost all music is friendly to babies, singing to them or listening to them could help babies become easier to appease, friendlier and more eager to try new activities.
Motor and sensory skills
Babies exposed to music as infancy developing better coordination especially when playing musical instruments. Music makes infants want to practice movements to make the sound they want to hear, and this also helps to improve sensory awareness and motor control. Infants used to music are also used to loud or sudden noises and are less likely to get scared and cry when they hear a loud noise.
Language Development
Sooner the babies exposed to music begin to chime in with their own funny sounds. This is the earliest part of language learning, and they attempt to talk in reaction to music is beneficial to conditioning babies’ brains for learning languages and speaking when they begin to go to school.
There is no specific type of music has an advantage for a child’s development over to another. You can listen to music that makes you happy with your baby, whether it is a piece of baby music or a home karaoke session, singing and playing with your baby goes a long way in improving their development. Find ways to introduce babies to music to make the most of the musical boost in all aspects of their life.
For more information Call or Text 832.594.7267 or maggie@chinesepianolady.net
