How Music Affects Cognitive Development in Preschoolers

Music is often prevalent throughout the day in a variety of situations. If you add music and musical instruction to your preschooler̵7;s life, the impact on learning can be both positive and profound. Even your youngster̵7;s cognitive development might receive a significant boost if he learns a few music fundamentals.

  1. Spatial Reasoning Enhancement

    • Kids in the 3- to 12-year-old age group who receive musical instruction often have more advanced skills in spatial reasoning, states Frances H. Fauscher, with the Educational Resource Information Center, writing for Education.com. Basic musical instruction appropriate for preschoolers includes keyboard, percussion and singing. Spatial reasoning includes mathematical areas, such as proportions, fractions and sequencing. As complicated as this sounds, at the preschool level, it can be as simple as your youngster learning the difference between right and left and seeing and avoiding an object in her path, according to the Youth Music website.

    Brain Reorganization

    • Inside the brain, neurons interact and connect with each other during learning. When these connections happen repeatedly, permanent learning occurs, states Susan Hallam, with the Institute of Education, University of London. Scientists theorize that kids who participate in music during early development may experience changes in brain development that make the brain function in a more streamlined manner.

    Memory Benefits

    • Music can have a positive impact on a child̵7;s memory, too. Preschool kids who hear music, learn songs, and play simple instruments often show enhanced memory development and the ability to remember and retrieve information more readily, the Youth Music website reports. Even just the act of little ones singing favorite songs repeatedly can build better memories. The songs that require youngsters to get up and move around tend to be especially beneficial for memory development.

    Creative Thinking for Learning

    • Musical instruction in youngsters can lay a foundation for creative thinking and problem-solving. Preschoolers who receive instrumental instruction often show enhanced attention spans, says a brochure published by the Arts Education Project. Kids with a foundation in music can get what they need for both creativity and innovative learning. With practice, music can provide young children educational benefits in both the immediate short term and in the longer term throughout the academic years.

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