Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, assistant professor of music education and music therapy at the University of Kansas, is doing some significant work in learning how music helps premature infants not just survive, but thrive, according to this recent article from the Kansas Health Institute.
Dr. Joanne Loewy, director of the music therapy department of Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York, highlighted some of the astounding effects that music therapy had on premature infants, including the ability to “…render other heart rates, different sleep patterns, improve caloric intake and sucking behavior, and that parent-preferred lullabies could decrease stress.”
The study, and its results, are revelatory and insightful, not just for music therapists, but also for parents.  Using music in an interactive way has positive effects on brain development.  However, it’s not just any kind music that makes the difference.  What’s important is the kind of music and how it is used.
Here are a few tips from Hanson-Abromeit’s findings that are very helpful for parents of babies, especially the premature babies but also for full-term babies.

• Simple is best.  Singing a favorite lullaby or children’s song to your little one can be the best kind of therapy you can give.
• Live music is better than recorded music.  Premature babies in particular benefit the most from attentive, interactive musical experiences.
• Watch for baby’s cues, or non-verbal communication.  For example, breaking eye contact, squirming or arching the back, or wrinkling the forehead are some of the signs from baby that it may be time to try something different.
• It doesn’t always have to stay the same.  Changes to the music’s volume and tempo are ways of adapting and adjusting to baby’s cues.
• Musical experiences have the power to soothe.  For a small baby who is often overwhelmed with external stimuli, music can help the brain organize at staying calm.
• Intentional loving experiences with music help the bonding process.  There’s something very personal about a shared musical experience, especially one within the arms of loving parent-child connection.

At Kindermusik, and especially in our baby music classes, we use music with the same intentionality and purpose as suggested by the findings of Hanson-Abromeit’s study.  In fact, it’s one of the things that has caused many music therapists to also become licensed Kindermusik educators.  It’s a joy to celebrate that once again research confirms what we music educators and parents have known along – music is a powerful key to unlocking every part of who we are and what we have the potential to become.
Learn more about the difference Kindermusik can make in your life at www.Kindermusik.com

“It began as a heartbeat and sprouted a rhyme…”  We are all musical beings.  It’s why babies respond to music in utero, why toddlers do that adorable little bounce-dance to music, and why preschoolers and big kids love to sing and play instruments.  But how exactly do you encourage that song in your child’s heart?  Here are three simple suggestions.

3 Ways to Put a Song in Any Child’s Heart

1. Sing to (and with!) your child.
You may think your voice is only good enough for the shower, but to your child, your voice is the sweetest, best sound in the whole world.  Babies especially respond to the soothing sounds of the lullaby you sing, but you also model using your voice to express yourself when you sing to or with your older child.  Singing is also a great “together time” activity.  Before naps, in the kitchen, during bath time, in the car – all of these are perfect times to hum and sing along.
2. Keep the music playing.
With music that streams on our phones, Internet radio stations that play our favorites at the click of a mouse, and even still some CD players in our cars, it’s easy to fill your child’s world with music.  But it does take some intentionality.  Not only will you be able to expose your child to a wide variety of music and begin to shape their musical preferences, but you can also use music to bring out a smile, inspire a cuddle, or chase away the grumpies with an impromptu dance around the kitchen.
3. Invest in some age-appropriate instruments. 
Bells, shakers, sticks, and drums… Keep some musical instruments handy, perhaps in a container near your child’s favorite basket of books.  You might be surprised at how much pure joy your child will derive from being able to make music on his own.  And when you need a fun little activity to do together, simply turn on your favorite Kindermusik song, grab some instruments, and enjoy your own little family jam!
Hint: Need a source for some high-quality, safety-tested, age-appropriate instruments?  Look no further than the Kindermusik store online at shop.Kindermusik.com.
And when you need a little more musical inspiration…
A weekly Kindermusik class is one of the very best ways to enhance your child’s musical development and natural love of music.  You’ll be amazed at how a gently structured, delightful weekly music class will maximize the rich benefits of early music instruction and capitalize on that critical early window of opportunity.  In addition to providing a social outlet for you in a small class with friends you really get to know and enjoy, a weekly music class also gives you a lot of musical inspiration and ready resources for making music a part of your daily routine at home in between the weekly class.
Learn more about music classes for children at www.Kindermusik.com.