The Rhythm of Play:
Interacting With Babies and Toddlers Through Music
By Lisa Flaxman
Recently, I saw an ad on TV for a talking lawnmower that makes idle chatter with toddlers while they pretend to cut the grass. It probably wasnt what the toy maker intended, but for me the message was that parents are afraid that their own interactions with their children are deficient and that a child would prefer a talking toy to their own imagination or the voice of a parent or caregiver.
I remember when I had my first baby I wondered how to interact with him enough so he wouldnt be under-stimulated. When I could think of nothing else to say, I would sing about what I was doing in the kitchen or hum favorites from my childhood. I noticed that music almost always captured his attention.
What every child development expert knows, and what parents must remember, is that babies need emotional security and interaction with caregivers more than any whizzing, buzzing developmental toy. And one of the most perfect ways to interact with babies is through music. While most babies naturally are drawn to music and rhythm, many parents feel inhibited about their singing voices or think that they are not musical enough to play with and teach their child musically. But your baby cant tell if your voice isnt as smooth as that of Norah Jones, or if your sense of rhythm is closer to Spongebobs than Fred Astaires. So dont be inhibited. (We promise, were not listening!) Providing musical experiences for your child is an easy and fun way to promote the kind of stimulation babies need to start them off on the right foot physically, mentally and emotionally.
Your Developing Child
When a baby is born, she absorbs everything through her senses, which include sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. A babys social and emotional skills are developed as a father rocks him and sings a lullaby the baby sees his fathers eyes and smile, hears the music, smells his daddys breath, feels the secure arms wrapped around him and moves with the rhythm of the song.
Singing and rocking your child makes the baby feel safe and encourages the parent-child bond to grow strong. Music also helps develop a babys perception of his physical domain. Feeling rhythm through activities like swaying, dancing, tapping and clapping helps them to learn how their bodies are organized, to learn to balance and gain muscle control, and to sequence movements.
Exposure to music has many benefits for a childs development long after the days of infancy have passed. Scientific studies show that music helps children develop logic abilities. We know that a sense of internal rhythm is very important for learning to read (ask Dr. Seuss!). We also know that children must learn to listen, focus and pay attention. For example, kids who can pick out the words in a song as part of auditory stream have gained a very important skill.
Music allows children to explore sounds with their voices and to use instruments as tools, helping them to understand melodic direction, tempo and rhythmic patterns. Learning to sing develops language, articulation, diction and expression. As the earliest form of nonverbal communication, music encourages movement as an outward manifestation of inner perceptions and thoughts.
Introducing Your Child to Music
Most important, music is fun! There are many different ways to give your child an introduction to the wonderful world of sounds.
First, its in your attitude: Have a great time with your baby! Be enthusiastic! Smile! Use an expressive voice! Its not so much what you sing as how you sing it.
Second, know that any music the infant hears is beneficial, so if you dont feel like singing, put on your favorite rock or jazz or folk recording and dance around the room or tap the percussion beat on the babys foot.
Third, remember that repetition is very important for a child, so dont worry about singing Old MacDonald over and over if its the only song you know.
Finally, realize that even reading Goodnight Moon can be a musical experience if you read it rhythmically with humor and animation!
Tips for Getting Started
Here are some ideas to get you started playing with your baby and toddler through music:
Chant nursery rhymes Nursery rhymes have been around for many generations for good reason: They are imaginative, rhythmic and easy to remember. While you recite your favorites from childhood, bounce or rock your child. Or clap her hands and tap her feet. Hearing the rhymes helps infants develop auditory memory, and the movements convey the feeling of steady beat. You dont need to be original classic nursery rhymes were composed many years ago, and the more your child hears them, the more they are likely to love and remember them. Repetition is comforting to children.
Do finger plays Remember This Little Piggy and The Eensy Weensy Spider? Finger plays connect physical sensation with hearing and helps a baby orient her body (There are my toes!). These activities offer another opportunity for close physical contact to give the baby a secure feeling.
Sing! Drag some old favorites out like This Old Man or Baa, Baa, Black Sheep. Sing it softly, then loudly, fast, then slow. See which way holds the babys attention longer. If you want to expand your repertoire, go to the library and get some recordings or take a music class with your baby. For a list of recordings that include popular, folk, ethnic and classical music that are kid- and adult-friendly, visit www.musiKids.com.
Dance together Put on your favorite music and dance with the baby, gently bouncing or swaying. Babies love music with a heavy beat, so use your old rock-and-roll recordings! You can even let the baby hold a little egg shaker so he can hear it make noise as you dance around or as you help him shake it to the beat. Vary the experience by listening to classical, folk or ethnic music. These activities will teach the baby to focus on sound and rhythm.
Sing a book Combine reading with singing and seeing by finding illustrated picture books like This Land Is Your Land (Megan Tingley, 1998) or Abiyoyo (Simon & Schuster, 2001). Or, if you dont feel like singing, use your childs favorite book or poem to read in a rhythmic way. For a list of illustrated books to sing to your child, visit www.musiKids.com.
Go to a concert Get out of the house, take a picnic dinner and hear a free local concert! There are concerts at many zoos, parks, libraries, even shopping malls. Look in your local newspaper or magazine geared to parents or in the entertainment section of your local newspaper.
Using music as play is an easy and cost-free way to assist your babys development. Its fun and educational for both you and your child, and, in addition to other benefits, it may start your baby off on the path to a lifelong love of music.
