Classical Music for Children

Five Ways to Introduce Classical Music to Your Children

1. Read A Story with Classical Music as its Soundtrack

When you read a story to your child, pick out a classical music piece that matches the emotion and actions of the book. Picking out the music should be pretty simple, but just for reference, playing Verdi’s “Dies Irae” to a story about a happy boy playing catch with his dad isn’t a very good idea. Practice reading the story out loud with the classical music to get a rough idea of the timing. After getting used reading in time with the music, tell your child you have a special surprise for them. Read them the story the “new” way, and they will surely be delighted!
Tip: Remember to always play the same piece of classical music for each story; that way it becomes imbedded in your child’s sense memory.
For example, if you read Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could to Haydn’s Symphony No. 94, always play Haydn’s Symphony No. 94 when you read the story again. When they grow up, every time they hear that song they will automatically remember the good times they shared with you when you read to them.

2. Interpretive Dancing to Classical Music

If your kids are always on the move, try introducing them to classical music by interpretive dancing. This can be great for getting your child to focus on the music. Instruct your child to listen to the music and dance however the music makes him/her feel. Parents dance with them! Not only is it fun, but it’s physically and emotionally stimulating. This exercise sends the message to the child that classical music can be fun, and not boring to listen to.
Tip: Mix up the music. Try to pick out contrasting pieces of music and see how your children react. Make sure you tell your children what the piece is and who wrote it. You never know what things your children will remember down the road.

3. Classical Music During Playtime

Before your kids begin playtime, make a list of classical music pieces with the names of the composers. Have your children pick a song before playtime. Tell them a little fact about the composer they picked to listen to during playtime. Before long, your children will develop their own classical music preference and have a basic knowledge of the composers.
Tip: Make sure to get a broad range of music to listen to - several pieces from each period should suffice. (Unsure of what the periods are? Read Intro to Classical Music for the answers!)

4. Classical Music and Art

Similar to interpretive dancing, pick out several contrasting classical music pieces to listen to while you and your children paint, draw or color. Make sure your children understand to listen to the music and create their picture to however the music makes them feel. Once everyone is finished, listen to the music again and explain your creations. Don’t forget to let your children know the name of the piece and the composer.
Tip: This can be as messy as you want it to be; with most kids, the messier the better. Let your children know it’s okay to “give in” to the music and react to it. Classical music doesn’t just happen on the surface, it happens deep within your soul (if you let it).

5. Listening Games

When I was studying Music History in college, my teacher would give us listening quizzes.
He would give us a list of several pieces of music to listen to and study one class period prior to the quiz. During the quiz he would pick a song at any random point in the piece, and we would have to be able to tell him who the composer was, the title of the piece and the tempo marking. If you play this listening game with your children it doesn’t have to be as complex. Pick out three pieces of music to play during the week and tell your children the name of the song and its composer every time you play it. At the end of the week have a game to see who can remember the name of the piece and the composer when you play it.
Tip: This not only promotes music appreciation, but also memory. Games are always a fun way to introduce learning concepts.

By Aaron Green

How To Instill the Love of Music in your Child - Music and Kids

Here's How:

1.Sing to your child. Yes, even though you think you can't carry a tune, your child will still think you have a lovely voice. When I became pregnant I read an article about the significance of music to children, there are findings that even a fetus responds to music while still in the mother's womb. So when I was just two months pregnant with my daughter, I would sing to her everyday. I continued to do this even when my daughter was born.

2.Dance with your child. Okay, I know some of you might say you can't dance but neither can I. Honestly, it doesn't matter, your child will enjoy and even be fascinated to see you dance. Put on your favorite music cd and dance with your kid, this way you're introducing her to the joys of music.

3.Teach them action songs. Kids love these types of songs, my daughter and I have loads of fun doing this. There are lots of action songs, some examples are "London Bridge is Falling Down", "Ring Around the Rosy" and my absolute favorite, "Skidamarink". There are cd's and tapes of action songs that come with lyrics and instruction booklets for you to buy. Or you can be creative and make your own actions. Action songs are a great way to teach kids about the rhythm of music.

4.Share with them your favorite songs. Both my parents loved to sing and I remember hearing music being played at our home everyday when I was young. As a result, I was exposed to different types of music and various artists at a young age. I recall when I was around 7 years old I sang "The Great Pretender" in class to the surprise of my teacher. Exposing your child to your favorite songs will help her understand that there are varying types of music for her to appreciate

5. Rent, buy or borrow books, videos and tapes that revolve around the subject of music. Soon after, I decided to start buying cd's for her and played it as often as I could. I chose cd's that featured great musicians like Mozart and Beethoven as well as famous children's songs. I also borrowed dvd's from a rental store, musical movies like " The Muppet Show "and " The Sound of Music ". There are also good children's tv shows which help introduce your child to music. This is a wonderful way of teaching her the significance of music in our world.

6.Join parent-child classes available in your area that introduces the concepts of music in a fun way. There are some great programs out there, one of which is called Kindermusik where they incorporate music into the curriculum and has take-home materials to ensure parent involvement.

7.If appropriate, take her to local concerts. I took my daughter to a major concert when she was around 4 years old and was amused at her wide eyed look while she watched the artists on stage. Be sure though that if you do take your child to a concert, you'll sit far away from the speakers as the noise will be too much for a child to handle. Concerts are a great way to introduce your child to musical instruments.

8.If your child is interested in learning how to play an instrument, do encourage her by enrolling her in music lessons. Make sure you pick a teacher that your child will like and one who specifically is trained to teach children to play a certain instrument

By Espie Estrella

Music and Learning

Scientific research on the neurological and developmental effects of music has fascinated educators and parents with the possibility of children's learning enhancement. Compared to the long history of research on language, our scientific understanding of music is new. Fortunately for parents, enriching our children's lives with music can be easily and pleasantly accomplished. From soft music in the nursery to musical toys and dance lessons, encouraging music involvement in a fun way strengthens children's educational, physical, and emotional development.

Does Music Make My Child Smarter?
Yes, of course it does. When learning a song, a musical instrument, or a dance step, your child experiences the unique integration of body and mind that music provides. Sensory integration is a crucial factor in children's learning readiness for school subjects such as reading, writing, and math.

Music improves spatial-temporal reasoning, a neurological process needed to understand mathematics. The best way to enhance your child's learning with music is to encourage listening to and learning music throughout the child's developmental years. Do it in a variety of ways that are enjoyable and fun, then let your child's own interest and aptitudes guide your choices of lessons and activities

By Kimberly L.Keith