Guest Post by Music Educator, Leslie Denning of Music With Miss Leslie
As an early childhood music educator, I’ve often gotten looks that range from shock to incredulity when I ask parents if they would be interested in music for their babies. I know that in their minds, they see a baby sitting down at the piano and learning to play. Impossible! they say. And they are right. However, that’s not what music education for babies is all about.
Research into early childhood music education has uncovered some interesting things about babies in music, such as:
- Babies seem to remember and respond to music they hear in utero
- Babies seem to be born with the ability to feel a beat
- Music is one of the seven intelligences, which also includes linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal intelligences
There is a lot more going on in a baby’s musical world than meets the eye.
Most mommies and daddies are ecstatic over their newborns and are anxious to do whatever they can to maximize their baby’s potential. There is an often bewildering array of educational toys, electronic devices, books, DVDs, and CDs aimed at helping parents help their children. However, sometimes the simplest things can be the most meaningful to children. Children are usually happier to play with a box, rather than what came in it. And what do you think your baby will value more: a Bose CD player or a loving mommy or daddy cradling him in their arms, looking into their eyes, and singing a song?
There a lot of products that are marketed to be played to babies, when what babies need is for parents to cuddle, play, and interact with them. One of the greatest satisfactions I have had as an early childhood music teacher is to see the joy that comes between parent and child when they make music together – simple music that reaches down to the child and reflects back to the parent. Taking the time to make music with your baby will give enormous benefits to both of you.
Guest post by Leslie Denning, better known as Miss Leslie, is a Missouri-certified music educator, Musikgarten-certified instructor, and owner of her own music studio in Dixon, MO, Second Street Music Academy http://secondstreetmusic.com where she teaches private piano, guitar, and voice lessons to children and adults. She also has an online store Music with Miss Leslie.net http://musicwithmissleslie.net which specializes in quality music merchandise for younger children. You may find out more about her, as well as find music education articles and activities, at Music with Miss Leslie.com http://musicwithmissleslie.com
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