Early childhood is the stage when kids’ brains and bodies really start to develop and work together, and when children practise gross and fine motor control. It is also the time when children acquire the sounds and words they hear often, figure out the relationships between words and actions, learn how numbers work, and make objects via building or scribbling.
The early years are also when children learn how to express and manage how they feel, and figure out what other people are feeling by reading their expressions and body language.
By the time they reach preschool, kids have become more adept at communicating and interacting with their peers. They engage in games, they play pretend, they take turns, and so on.
How does music figure into all of this? Well, according to the Carnegie Hall research, music engages the whole child. Every time a child does something musical, such as singing, tapping their feet along to a beat, banging a pot with a wooden spoon, or dancing, they use multiple parts of the brain and the body to do it. They put their motor skills to work, improving their coordination.
Any age is the right age for music learning
The early years of a child’s life are critical for brain-body development and for learning through music. This is why it’s never too early for children to learn music via age-appropriate activities and tools such as child-friendly musical instruments.
As children grow older, they become better equipped to have a deeper understanding of musical concepts, allowing them to learn how to play the instrument of their choice.
Many children start with formal music instruction around the ages of 5 to 7. It’s important to note that the younger the child, the more informal and play-like lessons should be so that children can really enjoy making music and learning the fundamentals in an enjoyable manner.
Ellie Mckinsey is a staff writer for Know Your Instrument and writes regularly on music-related themes and how children can benefit from learning music and musical instruments. When not writing or playing her guitar, Ellie enjoys going hiking and visiting new and obscure places.
