Music is part of our everyday lives – let it be part of your baby’s life, too! Playing music, singing, and dancing are all great ways to have fun with your baby while helping his brain grow.
Your voice and body!
Cue the music!
One of the earliest "math experiences" a baby will ever have is through music. That's because beats, rhythms, and melodies can actually help teach early math skills! Simply rocking your baby and patting his back while you sing a song helps your baby experience rhythmic patterns through sound and touch.
When your baby is awake, offer a rattle and shake it along to the beat of a song like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." As you sing faster, shake the rattle quickly, then slow down your singing and shake at a slower pace. This activity introduces the concept of patterns and the difference between slow and fast.
Sing and dance to music – any music! Let your baby watch you move to the rhythm and words of the song. You can gently move your baby’s arms and legs to mimic your movements or make his own dance moves too! Watch as he starts to try to copy you too – the more you do it, the more he’ll want to try it on his own, too!
As you sway to the music, you may find yourself tapping things to make them like instruments. Encourage your baby to do the same – his tummy could be a drum, his hands can clap to the beat, and his feet can stomp to the rhythm of the song.
This activity helps your baby develop listening skills, visual tracking skills, imitation skills, motor skills, comprehension skills, language, and vocabulary.