If you wish your child to develop further interest in music as an adult, you need to instill a love for music at an early age. Here are some tips to do this at home.
Listen
Just listen! As much as possible! Make listening to music a daily activity at any age. Have music play in the background all the time. Use the time in your car to listen to quality music. Use the time before bed or as your child is waking up to play calm and peaceful music.
The more music you incorporate into a child’s daily life, the easier it becomes to use music for her benefit later in life. First, you need to lay the foundation. Then you can incorporate other ideas about helping your child grow through music.
Associate music with positive activities in your family
Play music for your child when doing a bonding activity your family loves. That could be when cooking together, taking walks, at dinner, etc. Make sure you play an assortment of music. Use different styles, genres, folk music from different cultures, etc. This is one sure way to make your child LOVE music!
Bonding family activities can help develop your child’s interest in music. At the same time, music can also help further the bond in the family. They will eventually want to use music the same way when older and when they are ready to form their own relationships with other people. Indirectly, you will spreading the love for music to many other families through nourishing that love for music in your child!
Use music to help your child go to sleep
Choose calm music of your choice. That could be a CD, a specific composer, a specific tune, etc. It is important that the tune is either the same, or you choose music from the same composer or artist. Classical music will be best when incorporating this idea. Every day before bed, have your child listen to the same music.
The younger your child starts, the faster and longer lasting success she will have. Over time, your child will start associating that one style of music with getting calmer and getting ready for bed. You will find out how easy it will be for her to go to sleep. He will start calming down the moment he hears the music. All you have to do is play that same music for him over a longer period of time.
Want more ideas on helping your child go to bed though music, go to musicteachingandparenting.com
Maria Stefanova started a new online series introducing parents to the joys of reading through music books, as well as giving parenting advice. She is a music educator/specialist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
