How Music And Movement Can Benefit Children’s Development
Counting, reading, handwriting, solving puzzles — they’re all a part of healthy development for children, right? But there’s just one problem. All of those things require a lot of sitting that children just don’t want to do all the time.
The good news is that you can boost your child’s physical, mental, and emotional development without confining them to a seat. And even get better results when it’s time to practice those traditional learning skills.
All it takes is a little music and movement:
Here are some ways that music and movement can benefit children’s development…
It Helps Them Behave Better
One of the most apparent effects of music and movement on children is that it helps them to burn off energy. This effect is pretty easy to see.What you may not notice, however, is how releasing energy benefits children in other ways. When children get sufficient time to release their energy, they can behave calmer and are more relaxed at other times of the day.
This is especially important for their ability to learn as well as to interact in social situations with other children and adults. If a child hasn’t had adequate time to burn off energy, they simply can’t focus. And they’ll be more likely to act out in negative ways.
It Teaches Them To Work Together
When children play music or dance together in groups, they enhance their social skills. To play music together, they must learn to work together to make pleasant sounds. At younger ages, this may be as simple as learning to share tools and instruments.
As they get older, it includes learning to keep time with other singers or music players. It can also involve older children learning how to be creative in a group and try out other children’s ideas for how the music or dance should go.
Music Builds Small Motor Skills
Learning to play an instrument requires fine movements. A child may have to strike a drum or xylophone at the right place. Or they may have to learn where to put their fingers on a recorder or other instrument.
Make no mistake, these skills take a lot of coordination.
Dance Builds Large Motor Skills
The movements involved with dancing along to music are also beneficial to children’s development of coordination. Large motor skills make up many of the moves associated with dancing, such as stepping and jumping.
They’ll also learn better balance in the process, which is great for kids of all ages, and especially those that are still learning to walk and run. Even older infants that can’t walk yet can benefit from dance as they learn to sit upright while bouncing or clapping.
These Activities Provide A Positive Emotional Outlet
It’s well-known that music brings out feelings. And you don’t have to be an adult to experience this. Having fun with music and movement allows children to express joy. And learning how to properly express your authentic emotions is a huge step in development for children — one that will influence the quality of their entire lives.
Sign up your child for music and movement activities to give them a leg up on a variety of developmental skills.
Headquarters
8501 Wilshire Blvd. #336
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Call Us
info@omixtherapies.com
Hours
Mon-Fri
9:00am – 6:00pm