Music is always an inherent part of human mind and even small children can respond really well to music. As demonstrated by many studies, babies are able to move rhythmically to musical triggers. Before they can speak, babies tend to respond to tunes and rhythm more easily. Researchers have also shown that our heartbeat can be affected by music. Specific types of music can speed our heart rate up and others can calm our heart down.
Many studies also show benefit effects of music to children’s brain. It is show that children who take Suzuki music lessons tens to have better mathematical skills and higher IQ scores. Areas of the brain could also be enhanced with music, improving our attention and focus. By exposing music to children as a form of entertainment, we could help to build stronger cognitive ability, which will be useful throughout their lives.
Here are three benefits of using music as a form of entertainment for children:
1. It produces better readers:
Researchers show that music can help children improve their reading skills. It appears that music can be linked directly to verbal skills. There are specific areas of the brain that can be activated by music. This will improve their speech and word processing skills. Early exposure to music can simply develop their early literacy skills. Many children songs are consisted of simple words and this shows children how words should be integrated with music.
If the listen to songs often, it will be more likely they will be familiar to words. They will also learn basic grammar skill and it is much easier for children to form simple sentences at an earlier age.
2. It improves emotional intelligence:
Exposure to music can help children understand emotion through sound. Children will be able to respond more sensitively to social contexts in human behaviours and emotional cues. Emotional intelligence should develop empathy and this is among the best antidotes to aggression.
It is clear that children who have healthy preferences to music are less aggressive and have much less bullying impulses. As a result, children can have better flexibility in responding to specific situations and people.
3. It improves emotional maturity:
It appears that music can effectively tame our heart. However, poor preferences to music can actually inflame our mind and induce violence. During their childhood years, parents should direct children to listen to ideal types of music. During their early teenage years, parents should control what kind of music that children should hear.
Some song with antisocial themes may accentuate negative emotions, especially if children are introduced to this taste of music by people with antisocial behaviours.
Parents should be aware that not all children are fans music. Despite frequent exposure to music, some children could prefer other kind of distractions and entertainments. Some could prefer to read books since they provide more details and induce imagination. However, others could prefer movies because they can trigger visual impulses.