My nine-year-old daughter CAN NOT put down Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Her eyes gulp down the words while her imagination dives into the depths of the wizard world. It’s the 11th time she’s made the same journey, not counting the first time we read the book out loud together. So when did her reading skills take flight?
She wasn’t a born reader—no one is—but a love of reading can develop early (and the earlier the better). My daughter’s love of reading began practically at birth, certainly long before she heard the name Harry Potter, and it 100% had to do with integrating these easy reading development tips…
It’s not a coincidence that some of the most brilliant minds in history were (and are!) also musicians. That list includes famous names like Leonardo da Vinci, Sir Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Galileo, and Steven Spielberg. Research study after research study continues to show that music education or to be more precise – actively engaging in musical activities on a consistent basis – significantly affects the cognitive development and abilities of participants.
Consider these four big ways music affects the brain.
Improved Math Abilities
Long before research studies showed how music-making positively impacts a child’s math abilities and understanding, the great mathematician Pythagorus said, “Music is math made audible.” Now we know that children engaged in math show increased abilities in spatial awareness, pattern recognition, and numbers and measurement. As children grow and continue to participate through high school, music students even score 23 points above average on SAT tests.
Can you identify the pattern in this classic Kindermusik circle dance?
Improved Reading Abilities
We could write a whole book on the connections between music and reading. In fact, we have! (You can download our free ebooks from this page). Children who participate in music classes experience boosts in phonological awareness, auditory discrimination, auditory sequencing, and vocabulary. Plus, reading music even models for children how to read left to right and top to bottom.
Improved Memory
When compared to their peers, musicians have better memories. In addition, musicians show improvements in auditory verbal memory and auditory memory. Dr. Nina Kraus, a prominent brain researcher at Northwestern University, has likened the effects of music on the brain to the effects of exercise on the body. Increasing the working memory capacity of the brain improves thinking ability.
For fun, see how well you do in this Kindermusik Memory Game from our Kindermusik @Home Materials.
Improved IQ
Children who participate in music classes over time experience a boost in their IQ. In fact, the longer a child participates in a consistent weekly music class, the greater the effect. But you don’t have to just take our word on it, here’s an interesting article recently put out by the American Psychology Association about this very correlation between music classes and IQ.
Presented by LitWorld.org, this day represents a global literacy movement to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. Of course, we think the best way to celebrate is to read a book out loud with children like this Kindermusik mom and daughter.
The Educational Benefits of Reading Aloud to Children
In many homes around the world, this scene of a parent and child sharing the joy of reading together repeats itself over and over again—and children love it! In fact, the latest Kids & Family Reading Report from Scholastic, shows that when it comes to being read aloud to at home, more than eight in 10 children (83%) across age groups say they love(d) or like(d) it a lot—the main reason being it was a special time with parents.
In addition to bonding, reading aloud holds other benefits, whether reading aloud with a parent, teacher, or other caregiver. Reading aloud increases a child’s print awareness, teaches them the cadence of language, boosts vocabulary, and expands a little one’s understanding of the world. It’s no wonder one of our favorite children’s authors, Kate DiCamillo said: “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.”
3 Quick Kindermusik Tips for Reading Out Loud
Read children’s books YOU love. One of the ways children learn to love reading is when the adults in their lives model that love!
Encourage movement by imitating what you read. A child who moves around during story time is still gaining the benefits of reading. Plus, “jumping” when a character jumps or “reaching up high” to pluck an apple from a tree gives children a greater sense of the vocabulary words.
Use funny voices and speak animatedly. This makes it fun for both the reader and the listener!
Watch how this Kindermusik educator puts those tips into action.
Looking for more ideas on supporting a young child’s early literacy development? Visit a Kindermusik class to experience the connections between music and reading!
Contributed by Lisa Camino Rowell, a freelance writer in the Atlanta area.
It’s World Read Aloud Day.