The Effect Music has on Development

The positive effect music has on babies and children is surprisingly diverse, encouraging babies' development in both the mental and physical spheres. Playing music to your baby can activate the neural pathways responsible for many skills, boosting general skills such as creativity or more specific skills like spatial intelligence:

• Creativity -  A study conducted in Hungary found that 3-4-year-olds who were given music and signing lessons obtained higher grades in creativity than children of the same age who did not receive any musical training.
• Memory - Three-month-old babies can use music to help them remember things they have learned. Scientists now believe that music gives significance to the learning process and helps remember it.
• Spatial Intelligence - Spatial intelligence is the ability to perceive various relationships in space and understand the visual world. A study of kindergarten children in California showed that children who were given piano lessons had a 34% better success rate in completing a jigsaw puzzle than children who were given computer lessons at the same time.
• Mathematics - A study found that first graders who had been given intensive musical instruction demonstrated considerably more progress in mathematics than classmates who had received a standard musical education. Scientists believe that the connection between music and mathematics is partly related to the fact that music helps children understand mathematical concepts
• Language - There is a close connection between music and linguistic development. Both skills require the ability to differentiate between auditory nuances and similar sounds, such as "B" and "P”. Listening to music contributes greatly to babies’ development of this skill and will develop the ability to decode auditory data and sharpen your child’s auditory memory - abilities which are fundamental to language comprehension.
• Emotional Intelligence - Music can bring on strong emotions. By listening to expressive classical music, babies hone their ability to detect moods and emotions in others, while developing awareness of their own inner processes through the nuances of feelings evoked by the music

Any advice and information provided in this website is given as suggestions only and should not be taken as a professional medical diagnosis or opinion. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider, and urge you to contact them immediately if your question is urgent.