How to raise a child who loves music
by Nita Gil
Want to raise a child who loves and appreciates music? It's easier than learning to play "Chopsticks." You don't have to be a virtuoso. All you need to do is create a music-rich environment. Here are some tips on orchestrating the beginnings of a lifelong love of music:
- Sing songs to and with your child. Whether you're doing a solo or chiming in with the radio or CD player, you're setting the stage. Don't worry about performing an aria or the full score from the Lion King — simple tunes like "Old MacDonald" or "Itsy-Bitsy Spider" are music to your child's ears. And definitely don't worry if you're a tad off key. "Singing in tune is not a requirement," says Wendy Sims, professor and director of music education at the University of Missouri at Columbia. "What's important is that you interact with your child musically, which shows your youngster that you value music." Also, if you feel insecure about your voice, it's best to avoid negative statements such as "I can't carry a tune." You're trying to develop a positive attitude toward music, and children aren't the harsh music critics that many adults are. They'll love singing with you no matter how you sound.
- Strike up the band. Click on the radio, pop in a tape, insert a CD. With a flip of a switch or the push of button, you can make music an integral part of your child's everyday life, and thus help him develop an interest in music. "Just as you'd get a child excited about reading by reading to him, you get a child excited about music by listening to music, dancing to music, doing just about anything musical," says Pamela Shaw, director of the Oklahoma City University Performing Arts Academy.
- Play an assortment of music. Young children are receptive to all kinds of music: jazz, classical, pop, African, Latin, and so on. By playing a variety of artists, composers, and styles, you create a stimulating musical environment — a home filled with the sounds of different instruments, languages, and rhythms. Also, the sooner you introduce a child to the different styles of music, the better. "As children get older, sometime around 8 or 9, they're likely to pick a favorite type of music and only want to listen to that particular style for quite some time," says Patricia Shehan Campbell, author of Songs in Their Heads: Music and Its Meaning in Children's Lives and professor of music at the University of Washington in Seattle. "So before children decide on their favorite style, you want them to be aware of the incredible array available." Keep in mind, too, that although there's plenty of wonderful music created just for children, the selections don't have to be specifically for kids.
- Play "Finish That Tune." Sing the first few notes of a song that your child knows, for example, "The wheels on the...," and then stop. You can bet your child (or anyone else in the room) is going to finish the line.
- Attend concerts. Many symphonies perform children's concerts. Some may even be specifically designed for preschoolers. And often, communities present concerts in the park — a wonderful setting for children because they can listen and move to music in an outdoor setting they associate with having fun.
- Check out books. Looking at picture books kids can sing to, like Old MacDonald, or reading stories about music, like The Maestro Plays by Bill Martin Jr., is another easy way to introduce your child to the world of playing instruments and listening to and singing songs.
- Enroll in children's music programs. Kindermusik, a national music program, is a popular choice for children from newborn to age 7. The classes are designed around developmental stages, and the children learn about music through activities such as singing, moving to music, and playing games and simple instruments. The program also offers parents an opportunity to participate with their child.
- Dance to the music. Kids love to dance, so crank up the tunes and twist and shout.
- Perform. If your child can bang out a tune on your pots and pans, why not put on a show? Make it casual, but special. Maybe you accompany your little drummer boy on a whistle. You might even videotape the show as a gift for Grandma and Grandpa.