Music Enrichment for children 0-18 months – Foundations of Musical Learning: Why music is important in the early years.
Young children are in a “receptive” mode of development and as they grow, they move toward a more “expressive” mode of development. Changes occur more rapidly than any other time in their lives. Whether sitting, crawling or walking, our music activities are designed for each child to experience in their own way.
Physical Development: Our students are full of energy and love to move! With growing coordination and interest in their peers, they observe, analyze, teach and imitate each other’s movements and play. With an increasing ability and interest in using fine motor skills, the children will enjoy moving to music. Movement and sensory awareness are the primary ways children learn about themselves and their world.
Emotional Development: Our students can be outgoing and boastful, characteristics which reflect their growing desire for independence and pride in accomplishment. They are developing their individuality and want to be noticed and acknowledged. Throughout our class, our children become more aware of and affected by their environment and peers. Our music class provides an opportunity for each child to have age appropriate musical discoveries.
Language Development: Expressive language opens up a whole new world for our students. Needs, wants, likes and dislikes are shared verbally through sounds which soon become words. During class, our students stay engaged by tapping into their love for stories, rhymes and silly words. Children develop language by actively listening to each other and to themselves.
Social Development: Cooperative play and sharing become easier as children learn to adapt and adjust to different social settings. In our music class, children have the opportunity to express their desire to please adults and their need for independence and control.
Cognitive Development: With developing language skills, increased attention span and unlimited curiosity, our students will thrive in an environment which will challenge their thinking skills. Our children enjoy discovering, comparing, making choices, problem solving, finding patterns and remembering sequences.
Musical Development: Music is magical for our students. More than ever, the integration of movement, language, emotions and social interaction taps into their natural musicianship and developing musical skills. Steady beat, joyful singing as well as accuracy in a limited range and a beginning vocabulary of music sounds emerge along with an appreciation for the sheer beauty of music and all the emotions it evokes.