A song helps children learn and retain information. It also boosts their language skills. According to EarlyChildhoodNews.com, Maryann Harman, MA, finds that music encourages development and is also something that is exciting and motivating to young children. This creates a link to encourage learning within children through music and song. Teaching rhythm when learning language allows children to understand words with multiple syllables and learning to read.
Melanie Schmutz Chalk, co-author of "Kids on the Move: Creative Movement for Children of All Ages," writes for DLTK-Kids.com, that creative movement is a special way for children to explore their body's ability to move, promote creativity and develop physical skills. Teaching movement activities for young children helps them to learn more about their body, the space around them and interacting with others.
Music and movement together are a combination that allows young children the ability to express themselves even before they have developed language skills. Including listening to music when teaching, young children's auditory senses are stimulated and well as their imagination. Movement encourages their kinesthetic sense as well as their tactile understanding through dancing with bare feet.
Young children benefit from moving their bodies through movement exercises. Children are becoming more movement deprived with less interest in physical activities. Including music and movement activities when teaching young children introduces them to fun ways of moving their bodies and the concept of physical fitness.
According to the National Network for Child Care (NNCC), there are several simple ways to include music and movement into every day activities either in the classroom or at home. Singing while doing daily activities encourages children's musical skills and language development. Songs can be made up as you go, or sing traditional songs, such as "Farmer in the Dell." Turning pots and pans into musical instruments creates an exciting musical opportunity. Clapping along with music on the radio or television, encouraging dancing and playing a variety of music for your child helps them with their music and movement development.