The Power of Music in the Learning Process

Roann Keen

"“Giddy-up horsy, let’s go!” John says, and we all go galloping around the yard singing, “See the pony galloping, galloping down the country lane….” Little voices join in as Josiah overtakes me on his imaginary horse. We slow our horses as we finish the song, “…all tired out, all tired out,” and put our horses back in the corral. We give our horses a loving pat and a carrot treat as we move on to the next activity. These 3- to 4-year-old boys and girls are having a great time as we visit Old MacDonald’s farm, using our imaginations and lots of active movement and music in Miss Ro’s big back yard. We are learning about the animals on a farm, and the sounds and movements they make; we are learning to care for animals and treat them with kindness and respect; we are learning about large motor movement, coordination and balance, vocabulary, beat, rhythm, and we are getting lots of fresh air in the great outdoors! The list goes on. Throughout the week I hear from parents about how their child responded to our “trip.” Music class is making a big impact on these little lives.

Music and movement is a powerful tool, encouraging the young child to learn in fun and exciting ways. As teachers and caregivers, we can help children to “see” into an imaginary world and create fun without the use of fancy and expensive props, toys or visuals. Through music and movement activities, we can help children to explore the world of nature, especially when we take them outside. Encouraging children to move, dance and sing while they are playing promotes a healthy lifestyle and often teaches them how to play. Many children’s homes are filled with TV, video or computer games and super busy working parents who don’t have much time to get down on the floor and play with their children. All the more reason that our classrooms should be filled with singing games and folk dances like Shoo-fly Don’t Bother Me, London Bridges, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, Mary Mack, and Hot Cross Buns. As well as being fun and educational, they also encourage a sense of community, provide insight into other cultures and reinforce social skills like taking turns and teamwork.

Children who are moving, playing, singing and dancing have the potential for a healthier lifestyle. Music provides hope and joy, a sense of rhythm, balance and coordination, movement opportunities, security, energy, and it certainly burns up calories. Maria Cheng’s recent article on the value of play states that “youngsters between ages 5 and 16 need to be active up to 1.5 hours per day." (Cheng, 2006) According to lead author Dr. Lars Bo Andersen, "just making sure children play outside will double the amount of physical activity they get." If this is true for 5 to 16 year olds, what does it mean for little ones? We know that a sedentary lifestyle is unhealthy. In this study, all the children who participated had healthier numbers for blood pressure, cholesterol and insulin levels, not just the overweight ones!

The effects of music and movement on developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood are profound. According to Joyce Jordon-DeCarbo, PhD (University of Miami, FL), “Music or various types of instrumental accompaniment can enrich movement activities. Music incorporates all the rhythms of locomotor skills and can express fundamental movements.” (from an article reviewed in Perspectives, a publication of the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association). She explains that programs should be child-centered because children learn to move not by the process of imitation but by experimenting with their own ideas, asking questions, and finding solutions to problems presented by the teacher (Grineski 1992).

Another study of children who took music classes showed that their memory skills were greatly enhanced compared to children who had no music classes outside of school. The study indicated that music lessons seem to wire the brain differently, and the results after just one year were significant. There were even measurable improvements in the first four months of the study! Not only did these children develop musical retention; they also greatly improved their non-musical memory skills such as math, literacy, visio-spatial processing, verbal memory and IQ! (Trainor, 2006)