Does Music Really Make A Difference To Babies’ Development?
By Caitlin Bootsma
Consultant to the VIRTUS® Programs
We've all probably heard that if we expose babies (even in the womb) to quality music it will make them smarter. But to be honest, it almost sounds like an old wives tale.
The truth is, however, that there are some very tangible effects from exposing babies to some tunes-from classical to country.
Kindermusik tells us of just a few of the benefits:
- Moving to music helps develop babies' sense of balance, gravity and space.
- Following a steady beat lays the cognitive groundwork for other repetitive motions like walking, brushing teeth, clapping hands, and-later on-things like brushing teeth.
- Listening to different voices or instruments helps develop babies' ability to distinguish between diverse sets of noises.
- Exposure to complex music has been shown to lead to an increased ability to process information.
- Calm music can be a way to teach children to self soothe!
What do you think? Worth a shot?
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