We often sing with our children because it’s enjoyable and it makes our little ones smile, but there are documented benefits to singing with children as it pertains to early literacy skills. Here are a few examples of the benefits of exposing your child to music early and often:
- A child’s ability to distinguish musical rhythm is related to their capacity for grammar.
- Children taught rhythmic activities and singing become better readers.
- Music and songs are linked to the ability to manipulate working and long-term memory.
- Singing songs slows down the sounds of words into smaller pieces, allowing children to develop a better understanding of how words work.
- Singing songs can help develop a better understanding of print awareness; understanding that letters form words that form stories.
So what are some easy ways to incorporate music and singing in your family’s daily lives? Making up songs to describe your daily routines is a fun example. For example, in preparation of teeth brushing routines, here’s a fun song you can sing together to describe how to brush:
(To *Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star) “Up like a rocket, down like the rain, back and forth like a choo choo train.”
It’s a fun and easy way to get everyone singing and developing those early literacy skills!
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