How to Begin Teaching Infants about Music

Music is a wonderful gift to any person-young or old. Many people have spent their adult lives nurturing a love for music and the joy that it brings. We often forget that this joy is learned at a very young age.

Beginning to learn music as an infant has been shown to have a tremendous positive affect on the developing brain. Children's minds benefit early from singing along and keeping a beat. Research indicates that learning music early might even make young people more intelligent throughout their lives.

As we know, children learn differently than adults. Here are some helpful tips for teaching music to children:

- Start early. We mean really early. Humans develop full auditory capability after only 6 months of gestation. We encourage mothers to play music for their unborn infant. You can't go wrong with some light classical.
- Make sure your infant is always around music. Sing or practice your instrument near your child so that they are exposed to the sounds of music. Just go easy on the volume, as your infant's hearing is very sensitive.
- Favor activities that involve live music over tapes and CDs. Live music is more adaptable to mood and environment. Children can learn more from this interaction than they can from listening to a recorded song.
- Bounce your infant with the beat of the song you're singing. Learning to tap out a beat is an important step for young kids.
- When your infant is old enough, start to sing with them. It doesn't matter if you think you "can't sing." Just give it a good solid try and they won't notice if you miss some notes. It's about fun and appreciation—not perfection.
- Get your child enrolled in music lessons early. You don't need to wait for elementary school. Children as young as 3 to 5 can learn the basics of some instruments.

By following these simple steps, you can begin to teach your child the love of music early. We recommend purchasing a children's xylophone, rhythm sticks, or any other instrument that your young one can get started with early on. Teach your kids the love of music and they're sure to share it too.

Betsy Murphy, whose work with small children over 20 years gave her great insight into the needs of young children and their families. An early childhood music and movement specialist for 12 years, Betsy saw first hand what kind of musical instruments were appropriate for children 0-7 years old. Her online store can be found at http://www.littlelovees.com.