THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

by Angel Reinshuttle

Believe it or not: Those endless rounds of "Patty-cake" you have been playing with your toddler may have an educational benefit, after all.

Whether it is math, reading, or science, it is theorized that listening to music can help children have better performance in all areas of academia. According to one very popular theory, called the "Mozart Effect," listening to Mozart's music can temporarily improve academic performance and maybe even raise a persons IQ.

In one study, researchers found that students taking the SAT that had a background in music studies, scored on average, 56 points higher in the verbal section, and 39 points higher is the math portion of the standardized test, than their non-musical peers. Click here to read more on this study.

Formal musical training may have something to do with it. Most people who have taken any kind of musical training will agree that it takes great focus, determination, and discipline. In fact, in early childhood education, music classes have been proven to help hone children's listening skills, which can spill over into other areas of their education. Music is also been shown to help create new neuron pathways in the brain, and can have substantial benefits in memory retention. (Remember the ABC's?)

But for those of us that feel we missed the boat by not introducing formal music training to our children- don't fret. The possibilities to introduce the love of music to our children, are all around us.

In toddlers, this is as easy as granting them access to our pots and pans. What seems like noise to adults, may actually be a child's first attempt at creating music. This exercise is also very beneficial at teaching toddlers cause and effect.

In kindergarten and early elementary age children, a musical foundation can be easily established by making time for music everyday. A few simple ideas for implementing music into everyday life are:

• Sing with your child: whether it is turning up the car radio while running errands, or setting aside a time before bed to sing songs with your child, taking an active role in teaching your child music, can have a positive impact on your child's education- not to mention the wonderful memories you are creating together. For a compilation of songs for every subject, visit this wonderful site.
• Concerts: This is not to say that you should take your child to a heavy metal concert anytime soon, but there are plenty of opportunities to introduce your kids to live, age appropriate music in your community. Many public libraries have special music programs for children. There are also many county parks that offer free concert series during the warm months. ( The other benefit to an outdoor concert, is that it allows children to get up and move freely, without the risk of disturbing other patrons.)

No matter the age of your child, music can make a positive impact on their educational endeavors, and bring your family closer together. The moral of the story: Always make time to rock!