brain Archives - Minds On Music – The Kindermusik Blog

Science Center Stage: Music Improves Brain Development in Children

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We talk often about how music impacts our lives in countless ways. With our little ones, we focus on the positive effects of music as children grow – specifically development in the language, social, emotional, fine and gross motor, and cognitive domains. All of these domains are controlled by that mysterious organ – the human brain. Science tells us that the brain LOVES music and responds in wonderful ways. Dr. Boyle shares recent research on the topic in today’s post.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Music is like an intangible vitamin for the brain. It’s not just listening to music that’s key; participation in musical activity unlocks accelerated brain development. When adding movement to the equation, benefits increase.

Movement + Music

As we move and increase our heart rate, the brain receives more oxygen. Research indicates that improved oxygenation of the brain improves cognition. Adding music into the equation lights up important areas of the brain, which have already been primed with physical activity. While listening to music, parts of the brain responsible for motor skills, emotions, and creativity glow when viewed with magnetic resonance imaging.

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What’s Going on in There?

Think of it this way – taking part in musical activities is like a “work out” for the brain. Here’s what’s going on:

The visual, motor, and auditory cortices are activated.
- When these areas are activated regularly through music, they are strengthened. That strength can be applied to other tasks.
Increased activity in the corpus callosum – the pathway between the brains two hemispheres.
- This allows for information to travel throughout the brain more efficiently.

All of this can lead to greater executive function and problem solving skills. While recent research in neuroplasticity tells us it’s never too late to change established brain function and learn new things, it certainly is highly beneficial to start musical activities early. Birth to age seven is such an important period in brain development; music’s benefits on the brain are particularly impactful during this time.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Oliver Sacks, author and neurologist, wrote extensively about the impact of music on the brain. In this video, Dr. Sack’s became the subject of his own research. He had himself scanned while listening to different music – specifically to see if his love of Bach’s music would show up on MRI scans. His emotional response to Bach was actually observed on the screen![/vc_column_text][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/AUT9UTVrwp8?t=10s”][vc_separator][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So…don’t wait! The brain knows what it wants…music music music! Get your young ones started early. Listening is wonderful. Partaking in musical activities is better. Involving the body and having a parent join in on the fun is the best! Find a Kindermusik class near you and start building those neural connections today![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

FOL Fridays: Repetition

Again, again!! Children learn through repetition. Each time a child is exposed to a new object or experience, new neural connections are made in his brain. Through repetition, these connections are strengthened and learning occurs. Every Kindermusik curriculum is designed to repeat certain activities – in part because of this important connection between repetition and learning, but also because repetition of activities helps to create the Kindermusik class community. Ritual and repetition at home are important components of a predictable and nurturing home life as well.

TIP: So go ahead, sing that song or read that book again. For the hundredth time. Take satisfaction in knowing that you’re doing your child’s brain a world of good!

– Compiled by Theresa Case, M.Ed., whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, South Carolina, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

New mommies’ brains grow bigger

The following post was shared by Kindermusik educator Analiisa Reichlin.

I always said that I lost brain cells with each child I delivered. It’s been my excuse over the last 12 years for all the information and appointments and tasks that seem to fall out of my head. However, some recent research I read seems to contradict that idea.

A recent Science Daily article says this, “Motherhood may actually cause the brain to grow, not turn it into mush, as some have claimed. Exploratory research published by the American Psychological Association found that the brains of new mothers bulked up in areas linked to motivation and behavior, and that mothers who gushed the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key parts of the mid-brain.”

The authors of the study proposed the idea that all the hormonal changes after birth allow mother’s brains to reshape in response to their baby, and the instinct and drive mothers have to take care of their infant is the result of brain growth.

The researchers performed brain scans on women several weeks after birth, and again at 3 to 4 months post partum. They found that the mothers who most enthusiastically described their infants as wonderful, perfect, precious, beautiful, etc., were significantly more likely to have growth in the gray matter of their brains linked to maternal motivation, rewards and the regulation of emotions.

What made the authors believe that this brain growth was linked to motherhood was the fact that in adults, gray matter volume doesn’t normally transform over a few months without significant learning, brain injury or illness, or major environmental change.

So the questions arose. Does the constant touching, holding, cuddling, between a mother and baby cause her brain to “orchestrate a new and increased repertoire of complex interactive behaviors” with her baby?

Does growth in the brain’s “motivation” area lead to more nurturing by the new mommy, which in turn helps her baby thrive? Does behavior change the brain, or brain change behavior?

Finally, is it possible that post-partum depression reduce the same areas in the brain that grew in the non-depressed moms? Is there something in these findings that could help them?

More research is definitely needed. But these results are interesting, to say the least. So in the meantime, go ahead enthusiastically gush about your baby to everyone!

Special thanks to Studio 3 Music for allowing us to share this great post from the Studio 3 Music blog. Studio 3 Music in Seattle, Washington, the world’s largest Kindermusik program.

Science in the shower

This post was generously shared from the Studio3Music blog.

I am a teacher by profession, and a home schooling mom by trade. (Or is it the other way around?) In any case, I spend most of my waking hours teaching somebody something. If you are a parent, your “other job” is being a teacher, too.

Your child’s job? (I’m talking about children newborn to 7 specifically, here.) Your child’s job is to play. Play IS work for a child’s brain. The brain is designed for the first seven years of life to simply organize things. And organizing play is how the brain does just that. I don’t mean organized play. Organized play is something that adults do to children. Telling them how and what to play.

So why are their rooms so messy? Well, it’s not THAT kind of organization either. The brain’s job is to organize all the sensory input it is receiving. Done well, and your child will be a happy and eager learner when they enter elementary school.

Way back in 1949, N.A. Alessandrini defined play as, “A child’s way of learning and an outlet for his innate need of activity. It is his business or career. In it he engages himself with the same attitude and energy that we engage ourselves in our regular work. For each child it is a serious undertaking not to be confused with diversion or idle use of time. Play is not folly. It is purposeful activity.”

This is still true today. The “occupation” of play for a child serves as a foundation for the development of future occupations (the kind they earn money for!) when your child grows up.

Now for your job… As teachers of our children, what can we do that allows them to organize their play? By providing them with open ended toys like blocks, cars, dress-up clothes, art supplies, dolls (for boys, too!) legos, a sand box or water table, kid-friendly pans, utensils and pretend food.

Do sit down and play alongside your child. As well, give them room to play as they wish. Remember, there really is no wrong way to play with a toy. (I don’t consider breaking toys or eating sand playing.) Your child will play with the toys the way the brain needs to in order to organize itself.

Case in point. Science in the shower. We have an accumulation of foamie shapes left over from various craft projects. Big and little animals, cars, etc. A couple of months ago, I took a big handful of them and gave them to my 4 year old Natalie in the shower. The only thing I had to do was demonstrate that they “stuck” to the wall when wet. And then I stepped back and observed her.

It’s been months now, and they are still in the shower. She doesn’t want to take a bath because she wants to still play with those foamie pieces. What have I observed? Natalie organized her own play. Literally – Everytime I go to take a shower, all those animals will be arranged in a different pattern. Sometimes by color, by habitat, by size. That’s science in the shower.

And then I get to see the outward manifestation of the internal organization that is going on. Because sometimes, Natalie takes two of the animals, and one is “bad”, and one is “good”, or one won’t let the other play with it, so she practices making friends, and works through social situations that are typical at this age.

You see, her brain knows what it needs. Your child’s does, too. We just have to provide the “tools” and the space to allow that to happen.

Special thanks to Studio 3 Music for allowing us to share this great post from the Studio 3 Music blog. Studio 3 Music in Seattle, Washington, the world’s largest Kindermusik program.

Again, again!!

Again, again!! There’s a reason why those are two of your child’s favorite words – repetition is the way your child learns best. Repetition also provides children with a sense of security and predictability, setting the stage for optimal learning. Kindermusik takes full advantage of a learning environment that capitalizes on the comfort of repetition, both in class and at home – especially through the Home Materials.

Childhood is all about learning. And while it’s tempting to indulge in all the latest learning trends, videos, or technology, for a child, the single best learning tool is repetition. Each time a child is exposed to a new object or experience, new neural connections are made in his brain. Through repetition, these connections are strengthened. Add a little twist to the repetition, like when we add a new verse to a song or a new prop in class, and these neural pathways strengthen and become super-highways of learning.

Repetition is not only good for your child’s brain; it’s highly beneficial for your child’s overall development. Repetition helps your child learn and remember new information, thus giving her a boost of joyful self-confidence because she can predict what comes next. Then there’s also the immense satisfaction of mastering something. Repetition is the way that your child reminds himself of a newfound skill, and the way he experiences a great deal of pleasure through a sense of completion and mastery. Parents can use this love of repetition to their advantage by establishing predictable routines and rituals in the morning or evening, thus helping their child feel secure and in control – something that’s very important to a small child!

Each Kindermusik curriculum from Village to Young Child is deliberately designed to repeat certain activities, in part because of this important connection between repetition and learning, but also because repetition of activities promotes bonding and nurtures a sense of community and belonging. With the Kindermusik experience, ritual and repetition are key components of a predictable and nurturing environment in which learning, bonding, and a love for music naturally and beautifully unfold.

Benefits of repetition in a nutshell:

>Repetition fuels your child’s memory, confidence, and motor skills.
>Repetition expands your child’s understanding of the world around him.
>Repetition contributes to your child’s intellectual development by reinforcing her understanding of the way the world works.
>Repetition spurs motor development.
>Repetition helps your child feel good about himself because it reminds him of what he can do.
>Repetition builds a sense of trust, helping a child develop healthy relationships with others.
>Repetition is one way your child can exert some control over his environment, which is extremely gratifying for someone with such limited control over her world.

Posted by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios is proudly among the top 1% of programs worldwide.

Your child rocks!

When your baby cries, you instinctively scoop him up and rock him. His need to move and his ability to be soothed by movement are vital in the first 15 months of life when the vestibular system – the area that gives him a sense of balance and distance – is developing.

Aside from the physical benefits of movement, your child also recieves an emotional benefit from rocking and bonding with you. This quiet, rocking ritual can provide him with a sense of security, allowing him to grow into an assured, confident learner with a healthy self-esteem.

Rocking is still important as your young child grows and will often become a favorite – and memorable – activity for both child and parent. Even older children benefit from the stimulation of the vestibular system. Urges to run and tear around the house can be mellowed by taking a few minutes for quiet or even more active rocking.

Kindermusik Tips for your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler

> Rocking your baby: Place a blanket on the floor and lay your baby in the middle. With an adult caregiver on either side, pick up a corner of the blanket and gently “hammock” your child. If your baby doesn’t like rocking this way, simple lay him on his back and gently rock him side-to-side to the rhythm of the music.
> Rocking with your toddler: Toddlers can rock a favorite stuffed animal, or while you sit on the floor, your toddler can hug you from behind as you rock back and forth to the music.
> Rocking with your preschooler: Preschoolers will love to curl their bodies into little balls, and rock and roll around the room. Want to let your inhibitions go? Do this with them! Fits of giggles are sure to follow.

Music and movement: magical ingredients to learning

Music and movement are magical ingredients to learning for both the child and parent. A baby’s first communication is through movement. A toddler immediately responds to lively music with silly gyrations and flailing limbs – and while these movements usually make us giggle, to him they are serious attempts to coordinate movement with rhythmic patterns. The preschooler seems to be constantly moving – leaping off couches, rolling down hills, and spinning around and around until she falls down in a giggling flop on the floor.

Movement is fundamental for the development of the central nervous system, and science proves it. But what’s more, movement and rhythm are also essential for the development of the soul. These are things that can’t be measured with research and studies.

When a parent moves with her infant, a special bonding takes place that is key to social and emotional growth. When a parent sings to her child, not only are language skills being developed, but also a sense of love, comfort and harmony. The special touching, laughing, and rhythmic moving that takes place in a music and movement class lays a very strong and much needed foundation for a happy, healthy and joyful life!

Here are just a few of the ways that Kindermusik children learn through the interactive music and movement activities of the Kindermusik classroom:

Intentional touch is designed to provide stimulation of the nervous system, relaxation and bonding.
Activities involve unilateral, bi-lateral and cross-lateral movements that help develop the brain and muscles.
Movement and dance steps allow the caregiver and child to experience different rhythms and locomotor movements.
Synchronized dances develop sequencing, provide reassuring repetition and social interaction.
Expressive movement provides variety, creativity, and opposing feelings such as fast and slow, high and low.
Rocking and swinging stimulate the vestibular system, which is so important to balance and even eye movement.
Props, such as the “humongous” scarves and parachutes, provide tactile and visual stimulation.

So put on your Kindermusik CD at home and don’t worry about performing the dances “just right.” Don’t even worry about right and left! Simply move to the music and have fun! It all makes a difference.

-This post was adapted from a past issue of Kindermusik Notes and was originally written by Anne Green Gilbert, Director of the Creative Dance Center and Kaleidoscope Dance Company in Seattle, Washington, and a consultant for Kindermusik International.

A music and education video that bears repeating

We’ve shared this video before, but it’s so good we thought we’d post it again.

Using movement to activate the brain

Research has proven that the area of the brain that deals with cognitive thought is activated through movement. In other words, movement can literally turn on your child’s mind! For example, when you hold your baby and whirl around in one direction and then whirl in the opposite direction, this stimulates his neural pathways and actually helps them develop.

Moving with your child is a great way to spend time because it’s fun and it has a great benefit.

We’ve put together a few ideas of movements you can do at home with your child. Try these to get those brain muscles flexing.

Kindermusik’s movement ideas for…

…your baby: Put on a favorite piece of music and pick up your baby. While holding him, place one foot in front of the other and rock from front to back, balancing most of your weight on one leg at a time. Swoop, swirl, and swing your baby high and low in response to the music.

…your toddler: The world of a toddler is a very physical place, and your child will learn a new word more easily when you pair it with the action. So try doing different actions together while saying the word. For example, jump up and down and say the word “jump.”

…your preschooler: Encourage your preschooler’s creativity. Play some music and ask her to make up a different dance for the verse and the chorus. Help her distinguish between the two. She will not only be stimulating her brain through movement, but also learning musical concepts as well.

Have a movement idea of your own? Feel free to share it in the comments area below.

Arts with the brain in mind

I believe that music, as the only activity that simultaneously stimulates every area of the brain, is the best choice for my children through first grade. But what after they were done with Kindermusik?

All my children are homeschooled, so I get to help make those choices. In my house, we continue music . Rob plays violin, Nathan plays flute. (And no, I don’t force them to do music!) But what about the other arts? Visual arts (painting, drawing, photography, graphics, set making, etc.), and kinesthetic arts (movement, dance, and theater).

My instincts told me that as my children were interested (Rob loves musical theater and gymnastics – Nathan loves Sculpey clay and drawing), I should let them integrate the other arts into their day.

Thanks to Facebook, I reconnected with 2 college girlfriends over Christmas. Pam the percussionist is now an elementary music teacher, Lucy the trumpet player now a Principal at middle and high school. We traded memories, laughs and books.

Pam gave me a book she’d read by Eric Jensen called Arts with the Brain in Mind. It confirmed what my heart already knew – arts enhance the process of learning. The brain systems they nourish, which include our integrated sensory, attentional, cognitive, emotional and motor capabilities, are, in fact, the driving forces behind all other learning.

That doesn’t mean your child can’t learn without studying music, or visual or kinesthetic arts. The arts, however, provide learners with opportunities to simultaneously develop and mature multiple brain systems.

The arts develop neural systems that often take months and years to fine-tune. The long-term benefits of the arts include everything from fine motor skills to creativity and improved emotional balance.

Maybe the most valuable benefit of including the arts in your child’s education is that the arts make better human beings. The arts promote self-discipline and motivation, social harmony, enhanced creativity, emotional expression and a greater cultural awareness.

What long-term studies are beginning to show is that students who participate in the arts may be less likely to be dropouts, have higher attendance, be better team players, and have an increased love of learning.

And who doesn’t want to have children grow up to be happy, well-balanced, creative, problem solvers, and work and play well with others?
-posted by Miss Analiisa, who as her children’s teacher, is seeing for herself the long-term benefits of clay, paint, band and drama.

Special thanks to Studio 3 Music for allowing us to share this great post from the Studio 3 Music Blog. Studio 3 Music in Seattle, Washington, the world’s largest Kindermusik program.