Music for Intellectual Development

All of us have experienced days when we are completely stressed out- we feel our heartbeat rise, jaws clench and forehead pucker up. Now imagine yourself getting into the car feeling angry or upset and driving back home while listening to some soft, soothing music. Within a few minutes you will feel your shoulders relaxing and the frown lines on your forehead easing out. That is the incredible, mood altering power of music.

Given the importance of music for our personal social and emotional well being, it is vital that children should be introduced to music through fun filled, engaging activities from early years. Experts in developmental psychology and learning vouch for the fact that musical activities help children develop different skills that will continue to be useful throughout their lives.  Many studies conducted on influence of music in early years have concluded that it has a engaging children in musical activities has a positive impact on brain growth and memory. Integrating musical activities in preschool curriculum can also enhance:

• Motor coordination and balance
• Ability to concentrate and respond
• Cognitive skills such as recognising and extending patterns
• Language skills such as listening, learning of new words et cetera
• Aesthetic awareness
• Their willingness to recognize that different people have different preferences -different likes and dislikes.

Howard Gardner in his theory of Multiple Intelligences suggests that musical intelligence is a unique intelligence that can be enhanced through age appropriate instruction and experience.

Therefore, music should be an essential component of preschool curriculum. In early years music should be included in the daily time table through a variety of activities such as singing, dancing, creating music and playing with different musical toys.

Teachers and preschool owners must make sure that apart from puzzles, beads, soft toys and lacing boards preschool classes are stocked with different musical toys such as tambourines, shakers, xylophones et cetera. Children should be encouraged to explore these musical toys and teachers should reinforce this experience by talking about quality of sound (loud-soft; fast-slow et cetera). Teachers should also try to associate emotions with music and talk about the feelings that different sounds elicit.

Such planned experiences, supported by the right environment, equipped with age appropriate musical toys, will help children develop their musical intelligence.