Children who are allowed access to musical instruments usually grow up to develop a sense of tonal awareness, rhythm and a passion for music. Like other arts, it has also been linked to the development of a child's creativity.
Some child psychologists and educators believe that music classes are crucial to preschoolers because it allows for improvisation in the midst of structure. The more creative and silly the teacher can make the music yet still keep a sense of stability in the classroom, the more apt the children are to learn and participate.
Children love to dance and sing without being asked, so music classes are a great fit for them. Teachers should take advantage of a child's fascination with cause and effect by allowing them to make their own instruments from found objects.
In 1992, several at-risk children showed more awareness in self-concept after being consistently provided with music classes. In 1997, researchers from the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh conducted a study showing that preschoolers that took piano lessons scored nearly 35 percent better in spatial and temporal reasoning ability than other preschoolers.
Recent studies also have shown that even babies benefit from music; it helps calm them while assisting with early brain development. To build on these forms of early development, a preschooler's music education should involve age-appropriate lesson plans full of singing, dancing, listening and playing instruments.