Since time immemorial, music has been a part of human life, accompanying us in celebrations, helping us to express emotions and, on many occasions, even becoming a personal refuge.  

But in addition to its artistic and cultural value, did you know that it also plays a crucial role in the development of children from the earliest years of their lives? From the moment a baby hears its mother’s voice singing a lullaby, music begins to exert a powerful influence on its development. 

In this way, it becomes a very powerful educational tool for enhancing memory, concentration, language and motor coordination. But it also fosters creativity and helps to strengthen emotional ties with the environment.

But how can we integrate it into teaching? What kind of musical activities can we implement in the classroom? In the following we explain the importance of music in early childhood education and how to make the most of it during this stage of the education process.

Benefits of music in early years education

Music plays a key role in the overall development of children during early years education.

It stimulates cognitive development

The use of music in early years education helps to activate different areas of the brain simultaneously, encouraging the connection between the left and right hemispheres. While one focuses on structure and rhythm, the other deals with emotion and creativity.

When a child listens to or performs a song, areas related to memory, attention and problem solving are activated. 

In fact, studies have shown that children who are exposed to music from an early age develop better reading and mathematical skills. 

It is therefore no coincidence that many schools use songs to teach basic concepts such as numbers and the alphabet.

It fosters emotional development

Music has the power to evoke emotions and help children identify who they are and to express themselves. Through different rhythms and melodies, children can experience joy, calm or even sadness, learning to manage their feelings in a more balanced way.

Furthermore, singing or playing an instrument in a group promotes empathy and strengthens their relationship with others. They learn to take turns, to listen to their classmates and to work as a team, which helps their social and emotional development.

It encourages their creativity and originality

Creativity is a fundamental skill in education and music is one of the best tools to stimulate it. Through musical improvisation or songwriting, children can experiment, discover new sounds and develop their own style.

What’s more, music encourages children to let their imaginations run wild. For example, when they are asked to invent a story from a melody or to create a choreography for a song, they are boosting their ability to think and find more innovative solutions.

It reinforces language

Language and music are closely related. With their rhythmic and repetitive structures, children’s songs encourage the acquisition of vocabulary and improve pronunciation. They also enhance the development of auditory memory and language comprehension in a more enjoyable way.

Children who participate in musical activities often have an easier time learning other languages, since music improves intonation and sound discrimination. 

Music as a learning method for children

The importance of music in early years education goes beyond being a tool for entertainment and can be a very effective learning method. In many centres, music is used to reinforce knowledge in different subjects.

For example, in mathematics, music can help children internalise number sequences and basic operations. And in science, it can be used to learn about the water cycle or the planets of the solar system. 

Furthermore, the use of music in children’s stories helps to improve attention and reading comprehension.

So not only does it make education more fun, but it also improves information retention and awakens curiosity to discover new things.

How to work with music in early years education

Now that you know the importance of music in early years education and you understand its benefits, you should also be aware of the different strategies for integrating music in the classroom and in children’s daily lives.

Music activities in early years education

Music activities in early years education foster creativity, strengthen the bond between children and improve their emotional and cognitive development. 

In addition, these types of activities do not require a lot of resources. With a little creativity and enthusiasm, we can make the experience very enriching. Here are some ideas:

  • Song circles: sitting in a circle and singing songs with hand gestures and movements is a great way to reinforce learning and body language.
  • Rhythmic games: clapping hands or stamping feet in a rhythmic pattern helps improve coordination and concentration.
  • Homemade instruments: making drums out of boxes or maracas out of recycled bottles can be a fun way to introduce children to musical exploration.
  • Musical stories: stories in which children participate with sounds and songs to make the story more interactive and entertaining.

 

In summary, the importance of music in early years education goes beyond being a simple addition to the curriculum. In fact, as well as being a fundamental tool for the overall development of children, it has been shown to have a very positive impact on all areas of learning.

Consequently, our role as parents and educators should be to integrate music into our children’s daily lives, whether through songs, rhythmic games or creative activities. Let’s sing, dance and learn with music!