Do you know what your child learned in school today? How will you reinforce that lesson that the teacher prepared? Unfortunately, if you simply hope that your kid will remember the material, you might end up frustrated a little later. Being involved with your children as they go through school is vital to their success, and might even help them to stay out of trouble. Check out this website filled with interesting, informative articles about education. Jot down ideas that might help you on a daily basis. It might seem like a small move, but it might make all the difference to your kid.
Research shows that music is an important part of any preschool child's development. Music supports motor skills, language, and literacy, so it's vital that parents create a musical environment at home. Find out how you can do so with the following tips.
Explore rhythm around the house
Rhythm is a crucial part of a child's development. Learning to follow and move to a beat can help your preschooler express his or her emotions, and it's a great way to release energy in creative ways. As they grow older, children often develop their own rhythms and beats as a natural part of play, so parents should encourage this behavior from an early stage.
Help preschool children practice rhythm skills by listening to and repeating rhythmic sounds in the home. For example, the kitchen clock may have an audible 'tick' that you can clap along to. This will help your preschooler learn to keep a beat and focus on a specific sound when there are other distractions. Clapping, tapping, and rhythmic movements are all things your preschooler can quickly learn and mimic from you and other family members.
Introduce musical instruments
As well as listening to music, preschool children can benefit enormously from handling and learning to play musical instruments. While the piano is probably not age appropriate, percussive instruments are fun, exciting, and easy to handle. What's more, these instruments can help your son or daughter develop other cognitive skills.
Suitable percussive instruments for preschoolers include
Preschoolers who grasp these instruments quickly may also benefit from a more advanced instrument, like a xylophone. What's more, parents don't need to spend a lot of money on these items. With a bit of creativity, you can easily make percussive instruments on a budget with household items, offering another opportunity for preschoolers to play and learn.
Sing together
Singing to a preschool child can help him or her learn to internalize music. Internalization helps children develop their personality, and music is a key part of this. Internalization may seem like a profound concept, but even the most basic steps can help your preschooler develop in this way.
Never underestimate the value of singing to and with a child. Sing a small number of songs regularly to encourage familiarity and participation. It doesn't matter if you aren't a great singer—you're not auditioning for American Idol, after all! Singing helps children understand the building blocks of music, which, in turn, helps children develop linguistic and social skills. Singing along with music is also a fun way to spend time with your child, so don't miss a chance to interact in this way.
Embrace world music
Music from around the world is a powerful developmental tool for your son or daughter. World music can introduce new sounds and noises and can help inquisitive children learn more about other cultures and traditions. World music can also help a child develop strong listening skills that he or she will benefit from in other learning environments.
As you listen to music from around the world, ask your son or daughter questions about the sounds he or she can hear. Find picture books that help your child visualize the unusual instruments these sounds come from. You can even help your son or daughter make some of the instruments that they can hear. For example, it's easy enough to make and play Indian-style ankle bells, which can then immerse your son or daughter more deeply in the music he or she can hear.
Music is a crucial part of any preschool child's growth and development. Talk to your child's preschool teaching team for more information and advice about how you can support musical activities in the classroom. If you're currently looking for a preschool, find one like Sammamish Montessori School.
Share