How the Toddler's Intellect is Affected by the Arts: Part 2 of a 4 Part Series

Every thing toddlers see / hear / feel / taste / do is either building new neuro-pathways or strengthening present ones

• Some pathways, if not used during the early years will disappear
• Everything is new to them: every person, every texture, every object, every action, every smell, etc
• What they do now is the basis for all learning: problem solving, basic concepts, questioning, testing
• Toddlers need to be talked to, asked questions of, challenged, rewarded, read to
• They are learning about the basic math concepts: in/out; over/under; big/little; soft/hard; up/down; red/green; fast/slow; heavy/light etc.
• They are learning about real vs. imaginary 
• Through experience they learn that although things may be out-of-sight they have not disappeared
• They are learning that symbols represent real things or communications
• Pre-reading skills are being built: comparing sounds (ball/fall; basketball = basket - ball)

Some Activities to Enjoy with your Toddler:

• Provide them sticky tape (all kinds) and let them explore
• Set up challenging obstacle courses for crawling through, under, over, around (Labeling actions improves language)
• Provide numerous sensory activities: allowing exploration, dumping, mixing, pouring, feeling etc
• Play games that require memory skills and repetition (ex. hide an object under a cloth)
• Toddlers love to repeat activities time and again experimenting with what they learned (or thought they had learned: was their theory correct?)
• Label objects with words and pictures
• Couple oral language with hand signs to assist them with communicating. Kids can wave before they can say bye-bye!
• Provide a multitude of materials and activities which enhance understanding of the basic concepts: blocks, boxes and bags of objects, music (at varying tempos and intensity), dolls, food
• Make a "boo-tube" together: place an object (that creates a sound, if possible) in a see-through tube; cover one end of the tube with paint or decorated paper (they can decorate it); let them rock the tube back and forth, making the object inside disappear and re-appear
• Peek-a-boo boxes can be made out of small containers by gluing a picture inside for them to find

How Kindermusik Helps Build Intellect through Music and Movement

The Kindermusik method, which is taught by thousands of licensed instructors around the world, focuses on music and movement as fundamental factors in early childhood development.

For parents wondering when they should introduce their child to music, Prof. Lee Willingham, coordinator of the music education program at Wilfrid Laurier University, has a quick and easy answer: "There is no wrong time, except too late."  "It's amazing that a child's brain seems to be hard-wired to respond to music," he says. "You don't have to infuse kids with music -- it's already there, waiting to be awakened."

Willingham says there has been a flood of public and scientific interest in the cognitive benefits of music since the Mozart Effect became widely known in the late 1990s.

Though the Mozart effect itself refers to a study in which university-aged students seemed to fare better on spatial-reasoning tests after listening to Mozart, many studies followed, examining more specifically the effects of music on children.

Music, combined with rhythmic motion (especially playing two-handed instruments such as guitar and piano), has been shown to aid development of the corpus callosum, the connection between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. 

Other studies have shown links between playing simple instruments at an early age and development of spatial reasoning and language skills.

Researchers at Hamilton's McMaster University recently used magnetoencephalography brain-scanning technology to determine that children aged four to six who took music lessons showed more changes in brain activity than those who did not. Even the act of bouncing babies to the rhythm of music has been shown to help children compartmentalize and make sense of the world around them.

"I think we have enough evidence to say that a child who doesn't get music is being deprived -- I will say that boldly and unapologetically," Willingham says.

Though experts unanimously agree exposing children to music is beneficial, opinions vary on how it's best done. The Suzuki method, taught at the Suzuki String School in Guelph, emphasizes building performance skills on an instrument such as violin or piano through a nurturing lesson style.

Programs like Kindermusik emphasize singing, dancing and playing to help children grow mentally and emotionally.

The number of options might seem overwhelming to parents, but it needn't, says Bill Labron, director of the Beckett School in Kitchener. The school's Early Childhood Music program uses a blend of a number of different teaching styles -- including Orff, Eurythmics and Dalcroze -- to introduce children as young as three to music. "At that age, they can learn to carry a tune and develop a sense of rhythm," Labron says. "It provides physical, emotional and mental stimulation. If people can make that investment in their kids, the benefits are wonderful."

Why Choose Kindermusik?


It’s true that research shows music helps children become better learners, and that even a newborn emotionally responds to music. Parents respond, too: 99% of Kindermusik parents would recommend the classes to other parents*.

However, all the research in the world can’t accurately capture the look of pure delight in your child’s eyes when she experiences the sights and sounds of Kindermusik, both in the classroom and at home.

With 30 years experience in developing early learning curricula and products, Kindermusik is the world’s most trusted name in music and movement classes for children newborn to seven. Kindermusik curricula are based upon the principles of early development applied to developmentally appropriate practice as defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Plus, the Kindermusik philosophy is rooted in the work of early childhood development experts like Piaget, Montessori, and Greenspan.

Our full curricula offer your child seven years of musical learning that involves every aspect of your child’s growth and development: language, motor skills, social skills, cognitive development, emotional growth, and musicality. Throughout the Kindermusik experience, a trusted and trained Educator will guide you and your child through every musical and developmental milestone and help you understand what is happening all along the way. Each semester, a new set of At Home Materials brings the experience out of the classroom and into your every day routines and rituals.

Come experience for yourself why more parents around the world choose Kindermusik than any other music and movement program.

*Harris Interactive, November 2005