Baby's musical awakening

From his earliest years, even before he is born, bé is sensitive to the sounds and noises that surround him. As a child, he becomes more sensitive and attentive to this sound environment, which contributes to his cognitive development.

Music is a great way to help your little one's sensory development. A song, rhymes sung before going to sleep, the sound of musical instruments, everything contributes to the attention and senses of your child. This is why music plays such an important role in the development of the child. He learns to understand and discern a tune, which will make it much easier for him to learn language.

Let's see how music can stimulate children and how parents can use it on a daily basis with their little one.

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How to make your child aware of music?

Reassure yourself, you don't need to start taking piano lessons to watch over your little one  the music !

At bedtime, nothing could be easier than singing a few nursery rhymes, or humming little familiar tunes to your child so that he or she can peacefully fall asleep. No need to take singing lessons either! Even if the notes are not quite right, the best thing to do is to familiarize your child with music in general.

In fact, it all starts in his mother's womb, while he is still growing quietly. The child is sensitive to the sounds that surround him. His mother's heartbeat, his laughter, his voice, but also the sounds outside reach him through the placenta. If his ear develops especially during the last months of pregnancy, baby is bathed in a permanent sound universe, of which he does not understand anything yet.

After his birth, what is called the musical veil is only a continuous learning. As a child, he associates the sounds that surround him with everything he sees or touches. He learns his environment as he goes along.

During his first few months, his parents will be the main source of his musical development. As long as he is not able to hold his toys and have fun on his own, it is above all his sound environment that will count.

Therefore, you should not hesitate to spend time humming around him, listening to music with him (be careful with the sound volume) or simply talking to him. Don't forget that we are talking about the musicality of a language. Whether it's tunes or phrases, children's attention span is equally demanding. Everything they hear is part of their musical experience.

Songs, games and toys encourage discovery

Musical games or nursery rhymes are perfect for raising a child's awareness of music.

Again, from the time they enter crèche, little ones learn nursery rhymes that they are happy to sing to you once they get home. The little puppets or the boat on the water remain great classics. Yes, you heard and learned them as a child, now it's your little wolf's turn!

Simple melodies that stick in your mind, words that are illustrated by movements, this is the best way to keep your child happy. In addition to sound, it is a cognitive activity that allows you to combine sight, touch and motor coordination. Moreover, this type of ritornello facilitates the assimilation of language.

All these little activities that seem trivial, are in fact a great way to help children open up to the world and sharpen their senses.

A mobile above his bed to fall asleep, a musical plush, a carpet full of little sound games, here are so many ways to make bébé à aware of music and sounds. As soon as he is able to hold objects or stand on all fours, all his activities become his passion. By the way, choose his toys carefully because you will hear them over and over again!

At what age can babies be introduced to musical instruments?

Très tôt, dès that he is able to grasp objects à full hand, we can start à proposing small musical instruments àbé. We will wait a little for the piano à tail…

Maracas or even a xylophone, here are the perfect instruments to start.

Maracas

While the sound of maracas may intrigue them at first, children quickly grasp the principle and try to mark the beat. Grab a maracas and let them hear a real rhythm, you'll see, your chérubin will try to imitate you in a second.

The Xylophone

For the xylophone, the interest lies in both the musical notes and their harmony, as well as in the synchronization of movements it requires. Imagine the challenge that a xylophone represents:
● Bébé must hold a stick.
● He must use it to tap the key he wants to make the sound he wants.

This is the purpose of what we call proprioception. It is simply the ability to know what position one's body or limbs are in. In terms of motor skills and spatial awareness, the xylophone is a great way to stimulate a child.

The xylophone is a great way to stimulate a child.

Play music with your child

Don't hesitate to do small musical workshops with your child. A pair of maracas and a small xylophone are enough to sensitize him and help him open up to music and sounds in general.

Well, if you play an instrument, don't rush to practice it for and in front of your child. Piano, guitar, anything will do (be careful with percussion). It is as much a family activity as a workshop. Don't miss it!

Music lessons for babies, a good idea ?

There are music classes for toddlers. It is the Kaddouch method.

From 5 months, at the piano and sitting on the lap of his parent, bébéhende the instrument. If dad or mom plays, that's a plus, of course. But the idea is to allow the little ones to become familiar with an instrument. They start by tapping a key, then end up reproducing a simple little piece of music.

Beware, this method will not necessarily make your child the next Mozart, but these workshops have the merit of keeping their curiosity and their appetite for learning alive.

It's up to you!

You have understood that the musical education of the child is important for his development.
You'll see, you'll quickly get a taste for all the possible sounds your child can hear.