At Creative Arts School, it is our goal to bring young students of Bethesda with high quality creative learning and daycare services. Our school is unlike others in that we put a strong emphasis on arts, creativity and expression. We take pride in our unique curriculum and work hard to nurture your child’s creative side while also providing them with a top level educational experience. For more information about our schooling and daycare services, contact us today!
Have you noticed that your child exhibits an interest or passion for music? Congratulations! Countless studies show that children who study music excel in so many academic areas-from higher test scores to improved skills in math and science. Music has been called a universal language time and time again, and with good reason— music itself has the power and ability to transcend barriers of language and culture. In this blog, we will look at a few ways that you can encourage and develop a love of music in your child, as music, art and creativity play a rather large role here at Creative Learning Arts School.
How Do I Know If My Child Is Musical?
While music is indeed a universal language that can be enjoyed by anyone who wishes to open up their ears, some enjoy music more than the average listener. While it’s easy to identify with adults, as they can verbally express their love for music, being able to identify this in children, especially younger children, is a little bit more difficult. Pay attention to your child when they are in a situation where music is being played. Do they exhibit a happier disposition by laughing and smiling more? Does the music bring them so much joy that they can’t help to dance or move around? Both of these things could be signs that your child enjoys music quite a bit. Some signs, however, can be more obvious. Young children who are musically gifted can just as easily make an attempt to hum or sing along to what they’re hearing. Pay attention to their behavior, as it can be a very solid indicator of their love for music.
Make it a Game
Another way to see if your child has a musical mind is to conduct a few simple exercises with them. Few kids love a good game of monkey see monkey do, but if you make this game musical, not only will it be fun for both you and them, it could also show you whether your child has a brain that is more musically inclined than others. Tap out a simple rhythm with your hands and see if they will tap it back to you. While it likely won’t be verbatim, if they do it with a general amount of accuracy, this could certainly show you that their interest in music may be higher than average.
Nurture the Gift at Home
If you believe that your child is musically gifted, the best possible thing to do is to nurture the gift as much as possible. Just because your child might be gifted doesn’t mean that they’ll follow their instincts on their own. Having the medium be presented in front of them will keep music on their mind and allow the curiosity and gift develop beyond a mere interest. Children’s television programming can widely vary in its content in terms of possessing any sort of actual educational value. Steering them towards programming that features musical elements featured on the show is a great way to open your child up to the world of music while incorporating it into their regular television habits.
Dream of Music
Playing gentle music at naptime is another way to encourage and develop your child’s possible inclination towards music. While some find music to be a distraction when trying to fall asleep, many children prefer it as it helps them calm down and relax. It’s very easy to find music that is specifically crafted for this purpose, and many musicians have put together compilations of popular songs reworked in a more nap-friendly arrangement, using pianos and other gentle sounding instruments.
Play it Often, Play it Always
One of the best ways to encourage a love of music at home of course, is to simply play it as much as possible. How many of us have memories of dancing around in our diapers to our parents’ favorite songs? Those memories stay with us forever, but for some of us, it’s moments like these that laid the foundation for an incredibly strong love of music that resonates with us to this day. Spend some time sharing the music you love with your child— not only will you be bonding with them, you’ll also be encouraging a gift that could shape their personality, intellect and interests. Sing and dance with your child. If they enjoy it, it’s very likely that it’ll quickly become one of their favorite things to do. Play music in the car as well, as it can not only make car rides more enjoyable for both you and them, it can also provide them with a distraction that will result in an overall better behaved child.
Make it a Hands On Experience
At this point, if you feel like your child has expressed a considerable interest in music, bring home an inexpensive musical instrument or two. There are plenty of instruments geared towards children that are very affordable and perfect for little hands. Toy drums, guitars and keyboards are all great ways to further encourage child’s developing gift. If you feel confident enough, you can even enroll them in private music lessons of their choice. Many top level performers started off at a young age, and children acquire new skills best at their youngest.
At Creative Arts School, we love all things creative, from music to art to drama and everything in between. We are proud to be Bethesda’s premier provider of creative learning and daycare services, and our commitment to creativity shines through in the education we provide your child. For more information about our schooling, daycare services and more, contact us today!
